By Frank Giles The Irrigation Association (IA) represents the people and companies who design, build and manage irrigation systems. This includes contractors and growers who rely on those systems every day. According to the IA, its core mission is to support those who make efficient irrigation possible while elevating irrigation’s role in food security, environmental stewardship and economic sustainability. The …
Sen. Ossoff Pushing to Help Georgia Pecan Growers Expand Access to World Markets
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff continues pushing to help Georgia pecan growers gain access to world markets. Ossoff is urging U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins to request market access for U.S. in-shell pecans during trade negotiations between the U.S. and India. Exporting pecans in-shell allows them to travel in a more shelf-stable state, which would …
Secretary Rollins, Congresswoman Cammack Discuss Disaster Assistance During Hearing
By Clint Thompson U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ testimony at the June 4 hearing with the House Committee on Agriculture included a brief discussion with Florida Congresswoman Kat Cammack (R-FL) about disaster assistance. Cammack and Congressman Scott Franklin (FL-18) introduced the bipartisan Freeze Disaster Assistance Act in early June that would provide $3.5 billion in disaster assistance to aid …
Be Prepared for Hurricane Season
Hurricane season officially began on June 1. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is imploring producers to stay prepared for potential impacts and explore recovery resources. Be Prepared Growers should protect their families and production operations. This includes: USDA Assistance for Hurricane Recovery Source: USDA Sponsored ContentNew Syngenta Varieties Offer Grower SolutionsFebruary 1, 2026Attribute® II Technology Adds More Flexibility and …
Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Making Insurance More Friendly
By Frank Giles When disasters impact specialty crop growers, challenges with federal crop insurance for fruits and vegetables are apparent. Whether it’s hurricanes or freezes, the same discussions arise about how the policies don’t fit the realities of specialty crops. Those challenges were recently addressed during a listening session hosted by Congresswoman Kat Cammack (FL-3). She also serves on the …
Maintaining, Not Growing: Industry Expert Discusses Future of Georgia Peaches
By Clint Thompson Georgia will always be known as the “Peach State.” But at this point, it may just be about maintaining production instead of growing as an industry. There are multiple reasons for that, believes Jeff Cook, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agriculture and natural resources agent for Peach and Taylor counties. “I don’t know that in the middle …
Specialty Crop Grower Magazine/ Rebuilding After Disaster: How To Get Help From FSA
The Last WordBy Marcinda Kester If you’ve farmed in Florida for more than a season or two, you know that extreme weather isn’t an if, it’s a when. A freeze, a flood or hurricane can change your entire operation in a matter of hours. And as many growers learned after the freeze this year, the damage isn’t limited to just …
SCFBA Stresses Farm Bill’s Importance Amid ‘Farm Crisis’
By Clint Thompson The specialty crop industry scored a recent victory when the House of Representatives approved H.R. 7567, the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026. The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA) is now putting the full-court press on the Senate to pass the farm bill as well. Kam Quarles, CEO of the National Potato Council and …
Extension Leader Testimonial: We Need to Rally Around Our Farmers
By Clint Thompson The future of the American family farm is very much up in the air. More and more farms are closing up shop, while more and more agricultural lands are being used for anything besides agriculture. That’s concerning for industry leader Stanley Culpepper. Culpepper, a University of Georgia Extension weed specialist, spoke at the recent Southeastern Specialty Crop …
Marketing Assistance Loans Program a Possibility for Pecan?
By Clint Thompson Pecan industry leaders are currently discussing the possibility of the industry enrolling in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Marketing Assistance Loans (MAL) Program. The program is administered by the Farm Service Agency and offers loans to farmers of eligible commodities to help manage cash flow needs and provide marketing flexibility. Georgia grower Justin Jones was part …



















