Registration Open for Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson Citrus and specialty crop producers from across the Southeast can register for the upcoming Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo, scheduled for Aug. 20-21 at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, Florida. The two-day event especially appeals to growers and industry leaders in Florida, South Georgia and South Alabama. Morgan Cole, Expo show organizer for AgNet Media, talked …

citrus

Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo Power Panel to Address the Big Ag Issues

Dan CooperCitrus, Citrus and Specialty Crop Expo, Event

There is a lot happening in the world of specialty crops that impact growers’ business operations. The Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo will host a panel discussion with the leaders of three associations to tackle those topics. The panel will include Mike Joyner, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association; Chris Butts, Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Association and Matt Joyner, Florida Citrus …

Mind Your Melon

Mind Your Melon Event Provides Sneak Peek of Survey Data

Dan CooperAgriculture, As Seen On Instagram, Events, Survey

Mind Your Melon recently hosted an event at Southern Hill Farms in Clermont, Florida, to share some insights on a mental health survey and to inform attendees about future plans for the program. Marshal and Taylor Sewell founded Mind Your Melon to raise awareness of mental health issues among farmers and others involved in agriculture. Marshal’s father took his life …

Sneak Peek: June 2025 Specialty Crop Grower Magazine

Clint ThompsonSpecialty Crop Grower Magazine

The June issue of Specialty Crop Grower Magazine highlights peach production throughout the Southeast. Research plots at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Plant Science Research and Education Unit in Citra, Florida, focus on peach production in high-density orchards. The research includes increased trees per acre, higher yields and automation to handle more of the manual …

Weather Forecasts: Warmer Temps This Summer

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Georgia

By Clint Thompson The upcoming summer months are projected to be warmer than normal. That’s the forecast shared by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Pam Knox, University of Georgia Extension agricultural climatologist, noted in the UGA Extension Climate Blog that the forecast of warmer temperatures in June through August is not a surprising prediction. She said it is …

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 …