By Zhengfei Guan Since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) renegotiation, the U.S. produce industry has been actively pursuing policy changes to counter increasing foreign competition. This competition, particularly from Mexico, has caused great challenges to the sustainability of the domestic industry. I have participated in policy discussions and testified at two recent hearings. The first was on seasonal …
Cloudy and Overcast: summer Weather Dampens Growers’ Spirits
By Clint Thompson South Georgia’s wettest summer since 2013 has vegetable and specialty crop farmers hoping for more sunshine, especially as preparations begin for fall plantings. “It’s killing us. We’re trying to lay plastic and trying to get stuff seeded in the greenhouse. This cloudy weather just isn’t good for anything,” said Tift County farmer Jaime Patrick said. “We’re getting …
Sour Ending for Watermelon Season
By Clint Thompson Southeast watermelon producers prefer weather conditions to stay as dry as possible during harvest time. Needless to say, this summer has been anything but ideal for growers in Florida, Georgia and Alabama. Persistent rains, increased disease pressure and diminishing market prices have added up to a challenging couple of months, says Josh Freeman, University of Florida/IFAS Associate …
Georgia Farmer: Market is Still Cheap
By Clint Thompson Long-time vegetable farmer Sam Watson has experienced a lot during his time growing produce in Colquitt County, Georgia. But even this season provided a first for him. “I’ve never seen it this cheap, this long on so many different items,” said Watson, managing partner of Chill C Farms, who produces squash, zucchini, bell pepper, cabbage, eggplant and …
Costly Concerns: High Inputs, Freight Costs, Pallet Prices Worry Farmers
By Clint Thompson What had Southeast producers concerned in late spring and early summer has not changed in early July. High input costs, increased freight rates, outrageous pallet prices; all add up to a challenging time to produce vegetable and specialty crops. “We’re very concerned about it. Freight rates haven’t really backed off yet. We don’t know what’s going to …
Soaked: Wet Summer Could Impact Fall Plantings for Georgia Growers
By Clint Thompson A saturated summer for South Georgia could impact farmers’ preparation for their fall crops. Much like this past spring when plantings were delayed because of excessive rains, that same scenario could be played out later this summer. Soils are saturated. Sunshine is needed. Fields need to dry out. “We have to have fair enough weather conditions to …
Government Subsidies: Mexico’s Advantage Leads to Increased Imports
By Clint Thompson One of the key factors in Southeast producers’ fight against increased imports are subsidies. Growers and industry leaders have said for years that the Mexican government provides subsidies to its producers. Farmers can afford to sell their produce at low prices or literally dump them in the U.S. if they are supported financially. University of Florida Associate …
Cause for Concern: Blueberry Producers Be Wary of Algal Stem Blotch Disease
By Clint Thompson Florida blueberry producers need to stay vigilant in maintaining their blueberry bushes for the upcoming year, says Phil Harmon, professor and Extension plant pathologist at the University of Florida. One of the key diseases that growers need to protect against is algal stem blotch. It’s not a typical fungus disease so normal synthetic fungicides are not effective. …
Starting Off: Pecan Variety Selection Essential to Long-Term Sustainability
By Clint Thompson Sustainable pecan production starts before the producer plants their tree. The right variety selection could lead to reduced chemical sprays for scab disease, which could save the producer time and money over the course of their pecan trees. Picking varieties like Zinner and Avalon could have positive ripple effects for growers trying to overcome high input costs. …
Organic Herbicide Options
By Ruby Tiwari and Ramdas Kanissery Organic growers in Florida fight weeds throughout the year, as it is one of their significant challenges in production (Figure 1). Organic producers typically use various mechanical and cultural methods like tillage, cultivation, hand-weeding, mulching, etc., to keep weeds in check on their farms. While there is a general conception that there is no …