UGA Entomologist: Nurizma a Potential Replacement for Chlorpyrifos

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson A newer pesticide called Nurizma could be a potential replacement for chlorpyrifos. But vegetable producers should be wary that it is labeled only for an in-furrow application, says Stormy Sparks, University of Georgia (UGA) Cooperative Extension vegetable entomologist. “We did a lot of work with it foliarly, and it’s a really good product as a foliar. But …

Commissioner Wilton Simpson Announces Protection of Over 2,000 Acres of Ranchland

Frank GilesEnvironment

More than 2,000 acres of Florida ranchland has been preserved through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (FDACS) Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. With the approval by the Governor and Cabinet, approximately 2,101 acres of working agricultural lands will be preserved through a cost-effective rural land protection easement totaling $8,195,000. Rural land protection easements prevent future development …

Anxious Season Ahead for North Florida Watermelon Growers

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson An exciting but anxious season awaits watermelon farmers in the Suwanee Valley region of North Florida. That is the mindset shared by one industry expert who is concerned about what a potential increase in acres will mean for the market in the spring. Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized …

Up in the Air: Chlorpyrifos’ Availability in Question

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Specialty crop producers are free to use chlorpyrifos again. The concern now is its lack of availability. The Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to revoke tolerances of chlorpyrifos (lorsban) on food crops. However, many of the main manufacturers stopped making chlorpyrifos, according to Stormy Sparks, University of Georgia (UGA) …

Florida Bamboo Growers Association Hosts Second Annual Meeting

Frank GilesUncategorized

The Florida Bamboo Growers Association (FBGA) recently held its second annual meeting at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Wimauma. The meeting was well attended and provided educational content for its burgeoning membership. The association is growing quickly, expanding its membership by 63% from the first year. FBGA …

Challenge with Automation in Specialty Crops

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Automation could be the key to a specialty crop producer remaining sustainable. The more tasks that artificial intelligence (AI) can perform on the farm, the fewer responsibilities that would be needed via the H-2A program. But the reality of an automated harvester being made available on a commercial scale for all growers may present more of a …

Florida Watermelon Association Highlights Research Initiatives

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson Research is at the heart of crop sustainability in Florida’s watermelon industry. If producers are to continue thrive with production, they require research assistance with focuses on pest and disease management. The Florida Watermelon Association (FWA) highlighted some of those key points during the Suwanee Valley Watermelon Institute meeting on Nov. 30 in Fanning Springs, Florida. Laura …

On the Horizon: Chlorothalonil Spray Applications Could Soon Be Reduced

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Watermelon

By Clint Thompson Specialty crop producers should be wary that the number of chlorothalonil spray applications could soon be reduced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Nick Dufalt, a plant pathologist with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), discussed the issue at the recent Suwanee Valley Watermelon Institute meeting in Fanning Springs, Florida, on Nov. …

Nasty Nematodes Can Steal Yields if Not Monitored and Managed

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Nematodes

By Frank Giles Estimates vary, but plant-parasitic nematodes take a huge bite out of global agricultural production and profits each year. An often-cited figure is that the many species of the pest cause about $125 billion worth of crop losses each year. That equates to roughly 5% of crop yield losses globally. There are about 20,000 described species of nematodes, …

Georgia Ag Commissioner: New Farm Bill Needs to Get Across Finish Line

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Georgia’s Commissioner of Agriculture is focused on educating congressional leaders about the importance of passing a new farm bill sooner rather than later. Speaking at the Georgia Farm Bureau meeting last week, Tyler Harper talked about the significance a new farm bill will have on specialty crop production throughout the Southeast. “We were all hoping that they …