Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Producers Seek USMCA Improvements

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Frank Giles When the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) went into effect in July 2020, specialty crop growers in the Southeast were disappointed the replacement of the North American Free Trade Agreement did little to protect their domestic interests and markets. When the agreement was crafted, it included a provision that the USMCA would undergo a joint review to assess …

What’s Happening? Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates in Region

Clint ThompsonSouth Carolina

Weekly Field Update Clemson Extension agents provide updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Lowcountry Report Anna Sara Hill Zack Snipes Midlands Report Sarah Scott Upstate Report Andy Rollins Sponsored ContentNew Syngenta Varieties Offer Grower SolutionsFebruary 1, 2026Attribute® II Technology Adds More Flexibility and Strength to Sweet Corn …

Insect Pests To Be Mindful of in Georgia

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson The current hot and dry weather conditions are conducive conditions for insect pests to build up population levels. That’s the current case in Georgia. Stormy Sparks, University of Georgia (UGA) Cooperative Extension vegetable entomologist, discussed what insect pests that growers should be mindful of as plants are going into the ground. “With it hot and dry, you’re …

Squash Bugs Impacting North Florida Melons

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson North Florida watermelon producers should be aware that squash bugs are active around the perimeter of fields. Growers and scouts need to look for individual adults and mating pairs, says Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida. “The squash bug adults overwinter in the …

Attention Growers: Specialty Crops Acreage Reporting Deadline for 2025 is April 24

Clint ThompsonUSDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced the agency is reopening the 2025 crop acreage reporting period required for specialty crop producers who want to apply for the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) program. Specialty crop producers now have until April 24, 2026, to report 2025 acres to FSA. The ASCF program is designed to help address market disruptions, elevated input costs, persistent inflation, and market losses from foreign competitors engaging …

Sneak Peek: April 2026 Specialty Crop Grower Magazine

Clint ThompsonFlorida

In this month’s sneak peek, the April issue of Specialty Crop Grower Magazine highlights Florida fourth-generation farmer BJ Wilkerson and how his farming family seeks to solve the sustainability puzzle. Wilkerson is based in Gilchrist County, grows watermelon and attributes long-term sustainability to multiple factors like crop diversification, crop rotation and grafting watermelon plants to combat fusarium wilt disease. The …

USDA NASS Report: Most of U.S. Rented Farmland Is Owned by Non-Farmers

Clint ThompsonFlorida

More than two million landowners rented out 348 million acres of farmland, according to the results of the 2024 Tenure, Ownership, and Transition of Agricultural Land (TOTAL) survey, released this month by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Of these acres, 79% are owned by non-farming landlords. Non-operating landlords include entities who rent out agricultural land …

Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Freeze Devastates Florida Crops

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Frank Giles and Clint Thompson The freeze that struck Florida in late January and early February brought the coldest air to the state in more than a decade. Freezing temperatures caused significant damage to specialty crops across the state. In many areas, the frigid temperatures held for hours, exacerbated by high winds that thwarted freeze-protection efforts many growers tried …

GFVGA Roundtable Discussion: Pleas Made for Permanent Change to AEWR

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) helped host a roundtable discussion with legislators in Washington D.C. on Feb. 24. The issue, which was discussed among members with the Ag Wage Reform Coalition, centered on the H-2A program, specifically the adverse effect wage rate (AEWR). Sam Watson, president of the GFVGA, recapped the meeting and the …