COLUMBIA — Who wouldn’t love juicy red strawberries, sweet watermelons, refreshing cucumbers, ripe peaches, fresh butter beans or vibrant basil? It’s that time of year again in South Carolina. Specialty crop farmers are growing and harvesting fresh food to feed their communities across the state. “Our farmers worked hard to sustain us through the pandemic, and in 2021, I hope …
Crops Update: Clemson Extension Agents Provide Updates Across State
Clemson Extension agents provide updates in the The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Weekly Field Update 4-5-21 Coastal Zack Snipes reports, “Temperatures checked in at 28 degrees Fahrenheit at the northern end of Charleston County one night this past week. Strawberries were covered, but some blossoms are showing damage. …
Smart Investment: Prosperous Season Leads Farmer to Save, not Expand
What is it like to be an American farmer in 2021? In an era when success should spark expansion and growth, producers are content with saving money for the next rainy day that is bound to come along. That’s the impact imports are having on producers like Matt Parke. The Parkesdale Farms strawberry farmer in Plant City, Florida enjoyed a …
Weather Alert: N.C. Strawberry Farmers Encouraged to Protect Crop
N.C. State Extension cautions strawberry producers to apply row covers to their plants in anticipation of freezing temperatures that will linger into the weekend. A freeze warning started Thursday night and will continue Friday night. But conditions will improve on Saturday, though there still is a chance for a frost from Saturday night to Sunday. According to N.C. State Extension, …
Making Sense of Biologicals: Crop Optimization With Seaweed
Sometimes vegetable and specialty crop growers must think outside the box to remain sustainable amid high input costs and devastating diseases. What if seaweed could be used to aid in the quality of strawberries, bell peppers or tomatoes? Seaweed is a biostimulant that is part of the biological crop protection products that vegetable and specialty crop producers are increasingly using …
FFVA President: (Food Security’s) a National Security Issue
Feb. 11, 2021 could be a date that lives in infamy for Florida’s vegetable and specialty crop growers. At least that’s the way Mike Joyner views the U.S. International Trade Commission’s (USITC) unanimous verdict regarding blueberry imports. “As a result of that 5-0 ruling, I would completely agree with you, it was a gut punch for our growers,” said Joyner, …
South Carolina Crops: Clemson Extension Agents Provide Updates Across State
Clemson Extension agents provide updates in the The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Weekly Field Update Coastal Rob Last reports, “Strawberry crops continue to develop well with sustained flowering and fruit set. Early crops are ripening well with crops coming to market. Just a note of caution, the weather last week …
North Carolina Strawberry Growers Be Wary of Weekend Weather
N.C. State Extension recommends strawberry producers to secure their row covers to protect against high wind speeds and to implement cooling measures against warmer temperatures now and into the weekend. Increasing temperatures are expected to be 10 to 20 degrees above normal, especially in the mid-Atlantic area. This will undoubtedly speed up the development of buds and blooms this weekend. …
Vegetable Farmer: We’re Going to Start Dropping Like Flies Eventually
What would it look and feel like for the United States to be totally dependent on foreign countries for food? While it’s a scenario that might seem unfathomable for some, it’s a proposition that keeps inching closer to reality. “If things don’t change and they keep going the course they’re going, people are going to look up one day and …
Letter Highlights ‘Deteriorating Trade Relationship’ with Mexico
The vegetable and specialty crop sector was highlighted this week in a letter sent by several organizations, including American Farm Bureau Federation, to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai. The organizations spoke of a “trade relationship with Mexico that has declined markedly, a trend USMCA’s implementation has not reversed.” Among the concerns brought forth include organic …