Excitement, Innovation Set for 2026 Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson It is the holiday season which means the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference is just around the corner. Next year’s conference, which attracts producers and industry specialists from Georgia, Florida, Alabama and the Carolinas, will be held in Savannah, Georgia, on Jan. 8-10, 2026. Chris Butts, executive vice president of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers …

Short Harvest Window for North Florida Watermelon Growers

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson The harvest/marketing window for North Florida’s watermelon crop is not open for very long. That is why it is imperative that growers in the Suwanee Valley maximize their crop potential every year. They plant early and harvest the crop before the watermelon industry moves north to Georgia. It is the same scenario for watermelon-producing states up and …

Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Strawberry Farming a Calling for South Carolina Producers

Clint ThompsonSouth Carolina

By Clint Thompson The first half of Eric Hunter’s life did not include agriculture. He had never been exposed to it. But after the last 25-plus years as a strawberry grower, he can’t imagine his life without it. The South Carolina farmer views his agricultural career as a calling. He and his wife, Kristi, operate Hunter Farms, a small family …

Drought Monitor Update Across Southeast

Clint ThompsonFlorida

Drought conditions continue to improve across the Southeast, according to the Dec. 24 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor. The driest area in the region is still observed in South Georgia and North Florida. Extreme drought conditions in South Georgia include parts of Decatur, Grady, Thomas and Brooks counties. Extreme drought conditions in North Florida include all or parts of …

Paper Mulch Research Update for Southeast Watermelon Growers

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers are continuing their studies in paper mulch with respect to watermelon production in the Southeast. Its development is important for a region that depends heavily on watermelon production. Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, …

Drought Monitor Update: Recent Rains Erase Exceptional Drought in Southeast

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson Heavy rains during the Dec. 6-7 weekend reduced some of the drought being experienced across the Southeast. According to the Dec. 11 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor, there are not any exceptional drought areas across South Georgia and North Florida. Those areas are still highlighted by extreme drought designations. Georgia Extreme drought in South Georgia includes …

North Florida Watermelon Acreage Needs to Decrease

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson Watermelon acreage in the Suwanee Valley Region of North Florida could see a reduction in 2026. According to one industry expert, it needs to decrease. Reduced acres could benefit the industry in North Florida and South Georgia. Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, talked …

Drought Monitor Update Across Southeast

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Last weekend’s rainfall across the Southeast should help alleviate the extreme and exceptional drought conditions that were observed in the Dec. 4 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor. Exceptional conditions were still being observed in South Georgia in Seminole, Decatur, Grady, Thomas and parts of Brooks, Colquitt, Mitchell and Miller counties. Exceptional drought in Florida was seen …

USMCA

Joyner Testifies on the Impact of USMCA on Florida’s Specialty Crops

Dan CooperFruits, Vegetables

Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association President Mike Joyner expressed concerns about the impact of produce imports from Mexico under the current U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) during a public hearing held on Dec. 3. He reported significant losses in sales, market share and jobs within Florida’s produce industry due to unfairly priced imports from Mexico. The testimony was delivered as part of …

New, Renovated Look Expected at Next Year’s Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson The annual Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference will have a different look next year that’s sure to appeal to attendees from Georgia, Florida, Alabama and the Carolinas. Renovations have been completed at the Savannah Convention Center, the site of next year’s event, scheduled for Jan. 8-10. Chris Butts, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable …