By Yiannis Ampatzidis Vegetable growers face a variety of challenges, including pest and diseases, labor shortages and climate change. How can new advancements in technology help growers address these challenges? Can technology improve crops, reduce production costs and protect the environment? How can technological innovations be incorporated into traditional farming to improve production practices? In the last few decades, several …
Nikki Fried: Consumer Conscience Awakening Result of COVID-19
By Clint Thompson A biproduct of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic was the positive response consumers had to supporting American farmers. Nikki Fried, Florida Ag Commissioner, calls it a “consumer conscience awakening.” “When people go to the food stores, they were seeing on one point, you’ve got Mexican strawberries inside of our food stores and then you’re seeing all of the …
Coronavirus Pandemic Impacts Alabama Vegetable, Specialty Crop Producers
By Clint Thompson Max Runge, Extension specialist in agricultural economics at Auburn University, believes there was impact from the coronavirus pandemic on vegetable and specialty crop growers in Alabama. Some have still thrived with their businesses and U-pick operations despite a pandemic dating back to mid-March. Others struggled to find their footing when restaurants were forced to close and stay …
N.C. State Specialist: Best Strawberry Season Ever
By Clint Thompson Mark Hoffmann, North Carolina State small fruits Extension specialist, had high praise for this year’s strawberry crop. “This is the best strawberry season ever in North Carolina. I’ve only been here for three years but that’s what all people are telling me; they’ve never had such a good strawberry season,” Hoffmann said. It appears a relatively mild …
May Frost Sours North Carolina Grape Production
By Clint Thompson A May frost appears to have soured North Carolina’s grape production this year, says Mark Hoffmann, N.C. State small fruits Extension specialist. “The western part of the Piedmont region, they got hit pretty bad. We have some areas where we have 100% loss,” Hoffmann said. “The Yadkin Valley got hit pretty bad, and everything west of that, …
CFAP Payments Already Being Issued
By Clint Thompson Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) payments are already starting to be issued across the country to farmers impacted by COVID-19. Some specialty crop growers in the Southeast have already started receiving funds. As of June 8, in Florida, 95 specialty crop applications have been submitted with $11.5 million in payments issued by the USDA. In Georgia, 91 …
FFVA President: CFAP Payment Amount Falls Short
By Clint Thompson The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) will bring much-needed relief to farmers impacted by COVID-19. Unfortunately, the funds allocated per farmer is not enough, says Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA) President Mike Joyner. “Florida agriculture was just crushed by the pandemic. A lot of our members have had some really, really big losses. When that direct …
United Fresh Says Produce Buying Climbed During COVID-19
United Fresh Produce released its first quarter of 2020 issue of Fresh Facts on Retail report that details the rising number of fresh produce purchases in 2020. The unprecedented rise in food and beverage consumption at home was brought about by shelter-in-place orders issued to slow the spread of the coronavirus. “Those closures have led to consumers drastically restructuring their …
UGA Economist: Submit Your CFAP Application Sooner Rather Than Later
By Clint Thompson University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Ag economist Adam Rabinowitz encourages farmers to submit applications for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) sooner rather than later. The application process for CFAP started this week. The program provides relief to American farmers and ranchers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. When details of CFAP were announced, the first guideline for …
Persistent Rains in South Carolina Cuts Short Strawberry Season for Some Growers
By Clint Thompson Excessive rainfall in South Carolina has cut short strawberry season for parts of the state, says Bruce McLean, Clemson (S.C.) Extension area commercial horticulture agent for Dillon County, Horry County, Marion County and Malboro County in the Pee Dee Region. “Last week, in certain spots was just torrential rains,” McLean said. “A lot of the fruit that …