Leaders in the cold-hardy citrus region have long advocated for growers to diversify their crop portfolios. Lindy Savelle, executive director of the Georgia Citrus Association, has wanted citrus producers in North Florida, South Georgia and South Alabama to plant alternatives to satsuma mandarins, which has been the predominant citrus type produced in the region. Diversification helps extend the harvest season. …
Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: 2024 Hurricanes Rock Fruit, Vegetable Producers
By Clint Thompson and Frank Giles The fall of 2024 will not soon be forgotten by specialty crop growers in the Southeast after Hurricanes Helene and Milton roared ashore bringing far-reaching impacts to crops and infrastructure. While the true fallout of the storms will take months to realize, early reports show the level of damage growers are dealing with in …
Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: New Thrips Species Raises Alarm for Vegetable Producers
By Frank Giles Invasive pests are a particular problem for specialty crop growers in the Southeast. Insects find their way through various ports of entry, and the region’s climate is often conducive to their survival and reproduction. A relatively new pest that is on the move and has growers and the research community on notice is Thrips parvispinus. The pest …
Management Options for Florida Blueberry Growers in November
Doug Phillips, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) blueberry Extension coordinator, is advising blueberry growers about management options they need to consider during November. Producers should continue monitoring and managing leaf diseases, especially in evergreen systems. It is the time for blueberry farmers to begin monitoring for blueberry gall midge. They can use bucket traps (3 …
CUPS Expensive but Beneficial
The benefits of implementing citrus under protective screen (CUPS) could be major for growers in the cold-hardy region. But they first must overcome the major limiting factor associated with the system — its cost. Arnold Schumann, a professor of soil fertility and water quality at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education …
USDA Announces $33.5 Million in Grant Awards to Expand Local and Regional Food Systems
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service has awarded more than $33.5 million for 113 grant projects in 43 states and territories to expand and strengthen local and regional food systems, while increasing the availability of locally grown agricultural products. The funding will be distributed through the Local Agriculture Market Program’s (LAMP) Farmers Market and Local …
Strawberry Plant Pathologist Appreciates Nurseries’ Transparency with Neopestalotiopsis
By Clint Thompson Strawberry growers are risking this year’s crop by growing plug plants impacted by Neopestalotiopsis disease. One industry expert applauds the communication between the nurseries and potential buyers about the risk to this year’s crop. “For one thing I really appreciate the nurseries for being up front and transparent as they’re being. I don’t think we used to …
Pineberry Still Appealing to Consumers
By Clint Thompson More than three years after the pineberry started gaining traction as popular Florida-produced berry, interest in the specialty crop continues to grow, according to Wish Farms Director of Marketing Amber Maloney. “We love growing the pineberries. We see excitement on the retailer side, still,” Maloney said. “When we first introduced it, it was something brand new. It …
Specialty Crop Funding Will Help South Carolina Farmers
COLUMBIA – The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced in August $603,000 in funding awarded to South Carolina through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. Through this program, the South Carolina Department of Agriculture funds projects that strengthen South Carolina’s specialty crop industry through marketing, education and research. Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, tree nuts and nursery crops. “Each year, we …
Correct Diagnosis Needed to Differentiate Phytophthora From Neopestalotiopsis
By Clint Thompson Strawberry production is underway across the Southeast. Though much of the region is in the midst of prolonged dry conditions, disease management figures to play a pivotal role for growers in Florida, Georgia and Alabama. One disease that producers need to be mindful of is phytophthora. Amid the overwhelming concerns farmers had about neopestalotiopsis prior to planting …



















