Best is Yet to Come? GAC President Discusses Recent Labor Rulings

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson The specialty crop sector scored major victories with recent court and legislative rulings regarding labor. There’s hopefully more to come for Southeast growers, with Florida and Georgia being the top two users of the H-2A program. Georgia Agribusiness Council (GAC) President Will Bentley discussed the recent developments during last week’s Georgia Ag Labor Forum in Tifton, Georgia. …

Ag Leaders Urge Emergency Aid for Specialty Crops

Clint ThompsonSpecialty Crops

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The co-chairs of the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA) urged President Trump this week to ensure specialty crops be included in any emergency economic aid initiatives for the agricultural sector. Fruit, vegetable, tree nut, and landscape plant growers across the country are facing an immediate and mounting economic crisis. The group’s letter to the President highlighted …

Weed Management Strategies

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson Fruit and vegetable growers who hope to control weed growth with cover crops during the fallow period must remember that this management strategy is not totally effective with every weed, particularly yellow and purple nutsedge. Nathan Boyd, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) professor of horticulture and weed science, focused on the topic …

Alabama Pecan Industry Projected to Produce 3 Million Pounds

Clint ThompsonAlabama

By Clint Thompson Alabama Pecan Growers Association (APGA) President Bran Futral predicts a crop load this year of about 3 million pounds. That’s if the state does not encounter a tropical storm or hurricane type of event. Futral made the declaration following the organization’s annual conference in mid-September. He said growers have high hopes for this year’s crop as they …

NWA Meeting With Congressional Leaders Highlights Need for Ag Labor Reform

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Labor, Watermelon

By Clint Thompson Ag labor was the focus of discussions in early September when watermelon industry leaders met with Congressional leaders in Washington, D.C. National Watermelon Association (NWA) members, which included Jordan Carter, Greg Leger and George Szczepanski advocated for ag labor reform. Ag labor is the biggest expense for watermelon growers. But the H-2A system is complicated and, more …

Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Flexible Crop Insurance for Small Farms

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Frank Giles Many small farms must be diversified across several crops to serve their customers and to tap into different market opportunities over the course of a year. That diversity can present a challenge for growers looking to manage risks. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency (USDA-RMA) has developed an insurance product tailored to those types of …

Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates

Clint ThompsonSouth Carolina

Weekly Field Update Clemson Extension agents provide updates in The South Carolina Grower  this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Coastal Region Zack Snipes Midlands Rob Last Sarah Scott Upstate Andy Rollins Sponsored ContentNew Syngenta Varieties Offer Grower SolutionsFebruary 1, 2026Attribute® II Technology Adds More Flexibility and Strength to Sweet Corn Pest ManagementJanuary 1, …

Drought’s Impact on Peach Trees in the Fall

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Zero to minimal rainfall across Georgia over the past month should prompt the state’s peach producers to implement an essential management strategy. Though peach season has come and gone and with the trees nearing dormancy, growers must consider their trees’ water needs amid the current drought. Jeff Cook, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agriculture and natural resources …

weeds

The Relationship Between Snails and Weeds Needs Research

Dan CooperPests, Weed Management

The preference of Bulimulus bonariensis snails to feed on weeds in citrus groves does not necessarily imply that increased weed management will lead to a reduction in pest populations. This relationship requires further research by Lauren Diepenbrock, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor and entomologist. “It’s something I think we really need to look …