While 2020 is nearly in the books, farmers are looking ahead to 2021 with the same outlook of uncertainty they had this year following the coronavirus outbreak in March. There’s uncertainty regarding COVID-19 and a risk of not knowing if there will be another nationwide shutdown that could lead to more market disruptions like the ones that impacted Florida farmer …
Pecan Research to Help Georgia Producers Meet Demand
By Allison Fortner for CAES News The international popularity of pecans is trending upward, but more reliable measures for guaranteeing quality during storage are needed to meet demand in Georgia, the top state for pecan production. A review conducted by University of Georgia researchers identified scientific principles behind postharvest storage and handling techniques for pecans and revealed the need for a mathematical model …
Plan Ahead Before Planting This Fall
Planting fruit trees can be rewarding but only if you plan ahead. If growers don’t research their crops extensively and determine what varieties will grow best in their region, the potential rewarding experience can lead to a letdown. Edgar Vinson, assistant research professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Horticulture at Auburn University, reminds commercial growers and homeowners the …
Sneak Peek: December 2020 VSCNews Magazine
By Ashley Robinson Georgia growers may recognize the man on the cover of the December issue of VSCNews Magazine. Stanley Culpepper, University of Georgia (UGA) Cooperative Extension Weed Agronomist, has more than two decades of experience working with vegetable crops. Learn more about Culpepper’s expertise and his impact on the vegetable industry in the magazine. Also discussed in the magazine are …
UGA Vegetable Entomologist: Potential Explosion of Whiteflies This Fall Never Occurred
Whiteflies were projected to have a widespread, devastating impact on fall vegetable crops in Georgia. But according to University of Georgia vegetable entomologist Stormy Sparks, that never happened. “We were setting up for an explosion of whiteflies in the fall and it never really occurred,” Sparks said. “I’m pleasantly surprised it wasn’t a lot worse than it was. In the …
University of Florida Citrus Faculty Highly Sought After As Research Partners in Fight Against Greening
(UF/IFAS) — University of Florida citrus researchers continue to be sought out as partners in ground-breaking research projects to fight Huanglongbing, also known as citrus greening disease. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), recently awarded nearly $4.5 million in grants to UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences faculty to find novel ways to fight the disease. But UF/IFAS researchers are serving leadership roles in four other multi-million-dollar grants awarded to colleague institutions from …
Georgia Congressmen Request Section 332 Investigation on Squash and Cucumbers
Congressmen Austin Scott, Sanford Bishop, Rick Allen and Buddy Carter continue to fight for Georgia produce farmers and against unfair trade practices with Mexico. In a letter sent to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, the congressmen requested that the current Section 332 investigation for strawberries and bell pepper be broadened to include the impact seasonal cucumber and squash imports has …
Alabama Extension Offers Planting Tips for Fruit Trees
Soon it will be time to plant fruit trees in Alabama. Edgar Vinson, assistant research professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Horticulture at Auburn University, reminds growers about basic planting tips they need to be mindful of when planting trees this winter. Variety Selection Variety selection is the most important and practical way to manage diseases and other …
Why You Should Re-Check Your Citrus Fertility Recommendations
Updates have been made to the ‘Nutrition of Florida Citrus Trees’ manual from UF/IFAS. Learn how it reflects a new thinking since HLB’s arrival.
Georgia Pecan Grower: Industry on Brink of Collapse
One of the largest pecan producers in the Southeast believes the industry could be on the verge of collapse amid tariffs, a strong hurricane season and devastatingly low prices this year. Eric Cohen, who along with brother, Rob, operates Pecan Ridge Plantation in Bainbridge, Georgia, said they are still recovering from Hurricane Michael’s impact in 2018. It wiped out 800 …