By Clint Thompson With the majority of his spring and summer crop harvested and sold, Florida vegetable farmer Sam Accursio reflects on the challenges and struggles he faced this year amid the coronavirus pandemic and Mexico’s daily exports of produce into the U.S. “With our vegetable season, way back to February when things started shutting down and then in March …
Fruit Splits, Yeast Rot Contribute to Tough Year for Blueberry Farmers
By Clint Thompson A difficult year for the blueberry industry, which started in Florida amid the coronavirus pandemic, continued in Georgia. Farmers reported fruit splits and yeast rot in their rabbit-eye blueberry crop. The result was a down year where packing houses closed because of the lack of quality fruit coming in. Excess Rainfall the Culprit? Jonathan Oliver, University of …
Ant Swarms Continue to be Problematic for Hemp Producers
By Clint Thompson Ant damage on young hemp plants remains a problem for growers in the Southeast. Katelyn Kesheimer, Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, fears ants will continue to be a nuisance since hemp plantings will continue through July. “I think it’s going to be a struggle all season long because there’s so many different plantings going in. …
Coronavirus Pandemic Impacts Alabama Vegetable, Specialty Crop Producers
By Clint Thompson Max Runge, Extension specialist in agricultural economics at Auburn University, believes there was impact from the coronavirus pandemic on vegetable and specialty crop growers in Alabama. Some have still thrived with their businesses and U-pick operations despite a pandemic dating back to mid-March. Others struggled to find their footing when restaurants were forced to close and stay …
UF Economist: Be Open to New Opportunities
By Clint Thompson Farmers can learn a lot from the first coronavirus pandemic in preparations for a potential “second wave” that might occur this fall. Christa Court, assistant scientist in the University of Florida/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department, said producers who were willing to adjust on the fly this spring fared more successfully than those who did not. “I …
Scout Aphids Early and Often
By Clint Thompson According to UGA Extension, aphids are one of the most important pests pecan growers need to manage during the growing season. And they’re also one of the most difficult to control. Black-margined aphids and yellow aphids are present all season but it’s not uncommon to see a spike in numbers in mid-to-late June and in August. Andrew …
New UF/IFAS Economist Comes ‘Home,’ Looks to Help Harness Resources
By: Brad Buck, bradbuck@ufl.edu IMMOKALEE, Fla. — Kim Morgan is coming home, in a manner of speaking. Morgan graduated from the University of Florida three times. Mostly recently, she began her position as an associate professor of food and resources economics for the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee. For now, due to CDC stay-at-home guidelines, Morgan …
Florida Blueberry Farmer: USMCA Not a Good Deal For Vegetable, Specialty Crop Producers
By Clint Thompson One of the most vocal critics of Mexican imports into the U.S. is adamant that the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement will not help or protect vegetable or specialty crop producers. “No, that’s not a good deal for specialty crops. They didn’t really address our issues at all. That was not a good deal for us,” said Ryan Atwood, …
Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates
According to The South Carolina Grower, Clemson Extension agents provided updates on the status of fruits and vegetables throughout the state. In the Coastal area, Zack Snipes reports: “A week of unseasonably mild temperatures and damp conditions slowed things down a bit. The warmer weather this past weekend and this week should put things in gear again. Tomato spotted wilt …
Potential Second Wave of Pandemic Could Impact Vegetable, Specialty Crop Producers
By Clint Thompson The coronavirus pandemic struck in mid-March during harvest season for vegetable and specialty crop growers in the Southeast. Many fear a second wave of COVID-19 could strike again in October and November when temperatures start to drop. It is also when many producers have their fall crop in the ground. “The specialty crops would be where maybe …