By Clint Thompson The specialty crop sector benefited from the recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill. That was a point of emphasis from Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (PA-15), chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, during his talk last week at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference in Panama City Beach, Florida. The legislation provided a boost to crop research, which directly impacts …
Poor Air Flow in Pecan Orchards Contributing to More Scab Disease
By Clint Thompson Scab disease has been more prevalent in some pecan orchards this year compared to others. A significant factor is how tight some trees are in orchards and the lack of air flow that is circulated. That has contributed to the disease being more problematic for some Southeast producers than others, says Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Extension …
Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates
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 Anna Sara Hill Zack Snipes Midlands Rob Last Pee Dee Brittney King Upstate Andy Rollins Sponsored ContentNew Syngenta Varieties Offer Grower SolutionsFebruary 1, 2026Attribute® II Technology Adds More Flexibility and Strength to …
Increased Scab Disease in Pecan Orchards Amid Rainy Summer
By Clint Thompson Scab disease’s persistence in this year’s Southeast pecans says more about the amount of rain the region has received this summer than fungicide ineffectiveness. Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist, spoke about the subject in a recent UGA Extension Pecan Blog. He emphasized that rainfall accumulation has been high during June and July, including in …
Region’s Specialty Crop Leaders Applaud National Farm Security Action Plan
By Clint Thompson Farm security is national security, and the Trump administration is ensuring both are protected with the National Farm Security Action Plan. The plan highlights agriculture as a focus of the nation’s national security, addressing threats from foreign adversaries, including China. “We feed the world. We lead the world. And we’ll never let foreign adversaries control our land, …
Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Southeast Sweet Corn/Good Weather, Weak Prices
By Clint Thompson The absence of extreme weather during this year’s sweet corn season in Florida benefited production but negatively impacted market prices. Weather conditions cooperated, as the state’s sweet corn growers produced a strong crop that was both high in quality and quantity. However, it also led to excess supply, which led to a drop in demand. Market prices …
Managing Powdery Mildew in Cucurbits
In the South Carolina Grower, Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath provided vegetable growers results from a June 2025 bioassay with powdery mildew on susceptible yellow squash. All eight fungicides reduced the disease, though four worked better than the rest. Torino, Quintec, Gatten and Vivando suppressed powdery mildew on potted bioassay plants exposed for 48 hours to spores coming from nearby …
Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Orsenigo Farms Inc. Celebrates 40 Years
By Frank Giles Producers featured in Specialty Crop Grower often come from multigenerational farm families. While that is well worth recognizing, when a first-generation farmer comes along, that is also worth celebrating in an age when farm numbers are declining. Paul Orsenigo, founder of Orsenigo Farms Inc., is a first-generation farmer. This year marks the 40th anniversary of his enterprise. …
Secretary Rollins Announces $675.9 Million in Disaster Assistance for Florida Farmers
(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins met with Florida agricultural leaders and producers on Monday and announced additional U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) assistance to help producers recover from Hurricanes Idalia, Debby, Helene and Milton. Secretary Rollins signed a block grant agreement with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) that provides recovery assistance …
Rain, Rain Go Away: North Alabama Specialty Crops Impacted By Excess Moisture
By Clint Thompson North Alabama fruit and vegetable farmers have had plenty of rainfall to work with this summer. It has been above average throughout the region, according to Eric Schavey, regional Extension agent in Northeast Alabama. He highlighted the various impacts from the increased rainfall growers experienced in June and July. “Two weeks ago, we were 5.5 inches higher …



















