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 Anna Sara Hill Midlands Phillip Carnley Rob Last Sarah Scott Sponsored ContentNuseed Carinata Covers New GroundNovember 1, 2024TriEst Ag Group: Partners in ProfitabilityApril 1, 2024SECURE FUNDING NOW | USDA-Sponsored Farming Project Underway …

Sunburn a Concern for Watermelon Crop

Clint ThompsonAs Seen On Instagram, Florida

By Clint Thompson High temperatures this week have watermelon producers concerned about potential sunburn on this year’s crop. It could impact growers in the North Florida region who have already started harvesting and those in South Georgia and South Alabama that are still a few weeks away. “In some cases, these fields that haven’t been walked over yet, as long …

Drought Monitor Update: Heavy Rains Alleviate Dry Conditions in Georgia, Alabama

Clint ThompsonAlabama

Recent rainfall has provided much-needed moisture for parts of the Southeast, and it is reflected in the May 15 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor. Georgia mostly has sufficient moisture except for a couple of areas that have abnormally dry conditions. One area includes Colquitt, Grady, Thomas, Brooks, Lowndes, Echols, Clinch, Lanier, Atkinson and Ware counties in South Georgia; as …

Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Mechanical Harvesting Highlighted at Blueberry Meeting

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson Challenges accompany the use of machine harvesters in Florida blueberry production. But as growers who implement the technology on their farms will attest, the long-term benefits are worth the short-term headaches. Ryan Atwood, Kyle Hill and Kyle Straughn were part of a grower panel at a Florida blueberry meeting in Citra on March 6. They agreed that …

Precision Ag Conference: We’ve Got to Do More With Less

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Technological innovations in agriculture were the focus of this year’s Integrative Precision Agricultural Conference. It is likely the key to survival for most farmers, but especially specialty crop producers, explains Chris Butts, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA). “Technology has the potential to be the solution to level the playing field for …

dry

Citrus Water Needs Critical Amid Dry Period

Dan CooperIrrigation, Weather

The current dry period in the Southeast can negatively impact the region’s citrus groves. Trees in the cold-hardy citrus region of North Florida, South Georgia and South Alabama need water, especially ahead of the next harvest season. Mary Sutton, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and citrus Extension specialist, discussed why water is so important this time of year. “Water …

Florida Tomato

Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Up Front

Clint ThompsonSpecialty Crop Grower Magazine

By Frank Giles Make Estate Planning a Top Priority Sometimes when writing this column, I will scan the internet looking for topics that could be relevant for this page. Doing just that for this month’s issue, I came across a headline that had eye-catching power. It was a write-up from American Farm Bureau Federation Associate Economist Samantha Ayoub titled “Estate …

UF/IFAS to Host Stone Fruit Field Day

Clint ThompsonFlorida

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) will host a Stone Fruit Field Day on May 7 in Citra, Florida. It will highlight innovations in peach production and provide a tour of the research orchard. Attendees will learn about Florida’s first high-density peach orchard experiment that was planted three years ago and is now ready for …

Peach Insect Pests to Watch Out For

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Peach harvest season is just a few weeks away for Southeast growers. But before producers start picking this year’s crop, they need to be managing this season’s insect pests. Two come to mind, says Brett Blaauw, assistant professor at the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “Now that we are really in the …