Atlanta, Ga – Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper announced on Tuesday that the Georgia Department of Agriculture Agricultural Inputs Division has issued a “Stop Sale” Order on Midash Forte Insecticide (EPA Reg. No.83529-6) manufactured for Sharda USA, LLC. Lab test results indicate Batch TX433 is contaminated with herbicides and could potentially cause crop damage. Midash Forte is a commonly used …
‘Real Excitement’ Surrounds Potential Pecan Relationship with India
By Clint Thompson A trade mission to India in April highlighting pecans was successful. But more education is needed to make exporting pecans to India a reality and not just a dream. Justin Jones, Georgia pecan grower, chairman of industry relations for the American Pecan Council and co-owner of brand Zorro Pecans, attended the trip and talked about the educational …
Gummy Stem Blight Worst in Recent Memory
By Clint Thompson North Florida watermelon growers have been able to manage most disease pressure this year; except for gummy stem blight. It has been the one disease that has been extremely problematic for producers, says Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida. “I’d say it’s more …
Florida Tomato Conference Slated for Sept. 5
Florida tomato growers should mark their calendars for Thursday, Sept. 5. The annual Florida Tomato Conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Clewiston John Boy Auditorium in Clewiston, Florida. The event attracted nearly 300 attendees last year which led to it being moved to a larger location. The venue will provide a better learning experience …
GFVGA Joins Lawsuit Against DOL
The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) has joined a coalition of producers and state attorneys general to file a lawsuit against the Department of Labor (DOL), challenging new rules proposed for the H-2A program. These new “Worker Protection Rules” are slated to go into effect in late June and will continue to make the H-2A process prohibitively expensive …
Drought Monitor: Dry Conditions Worsening in Southern Florida
The lack of rainfall continues to be observed in the central and southern regions of Florida, while Georgia and Alabama are mostly enjoying sufficient moisture, according to Thursday’s release of the U.S. Drought Monitor. Moderate and severe drought conditions dominate the central and southern areas of Florida. Severe drought starts as far north as Hillsborough, Manatee, Hardee, Highlands, Osceola and …
Figuring Out the Right Hops “Recipe” in Florida
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center hosted a hops field day in early June. The event included a tour of the center’s hops yard and educational presentations on growing the crop. Much of the hops used in brewing beer is grown in Washington and Oregon. Shinsuke Agehara, UF/IFAS associate …
Gummy Stem Blight a Problem for North Florida Watermelon Crop
By Clint Thompson North Florida’s watermelon crop continues to be impacted by increased disease pressure, though gummy stem blight remains the most difficult to control. Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, reported in his weekly email that gummy stem blight is causing the greatest concern among …
Aww Shucks: Tough Price Year for Florida Sweet Corn Producers
By Clint Thompson Sweet corn production has shifted into Georgia. Following the peak season for Florida growers around Memorial Day, the harvest window has shifted northward for producers. Florida grower Eric Hopkins liked everything about this year’s crop, except the price. “We certainly could have gotten more money for the crop and probably sold the same amount of units. It’s …
Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: The Quest to Be the Best
By Clint Thompson Spencer McLeod did not set out to be one of the largest peach producers in the Southeast. It just happened that way. “I don’t necessarily want to be the biggest grower and I don’t want to be the smallest grower, but I want to be the best grower,” McLeod said. Producing a Plethora of Peaches McLeod has …



















