A La Nina weather pattern is expected to last through early spring and bring warm and dry conditions to the Southeast. According to the Climate and Agriculture in the Southeast blog, Pam Knox, University of Georgia Extension Agricultural Climatologist, said that the NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center predicts a 100% chance of a La Nina through the winter and better than …
Registration Ongoing for SE Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference
Registration is ongoing for the 2021 Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference, which will be held virtually on Jan. 5 through Jan. 7, 2021. All events this year, including the educational sessions from university researchers and industry leaders, will take place online this year amid COVID-19 concerns. The conference will have the latest in production and crop operational information that …
Wait to Prune Fruit Trees
Pruning fruit trees is an important management tactic that producers and homeowners need to implement every year. Industry experts emphasize, though, the importance of growers waiting until the winter dormancy period before beginning the pruning process. In doing so, producers will avoid damage from colder temperatures. “Years ago, we used to prune our peach orchards, for example, in the fall. …
United Fresh Releases Fresh Facts on Retail Report
A new report covers the increasing popularity of e-commerce and the unprecedented rise of in-home consumption triggered by COVID-19, including the continued growth of fresh fruit and vegetable sales. United Fresh Produce Association released its Q2 2020 issue of FreshFacts on Retail this week. The report measures retail price and sales trends for the top 10 fruit and vegetable commodities …
Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference to be Virtual in 2021
It has proven almost impossible to hold in-person conferences and trade shows amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference is the latest to announce its intention to transition to a virtual event in 2021. Charles Hall, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association confirmed in an announcement on Monday that the event scheduled …
Coming Soon: White Strawberries From the Wild
By Seonghee Lee and Vance M. Whitaker The University of Florida will soon commercialize a new strawberry variety. It doesn’t have a name yet, but it is already drawing attention for a very unusual characteristic. When it is ripe and ready to eat, it is white inside and out, with a slight pink blush on the exterior and red seeds. …
Florida Strawberry Industry Members Speak out About Unfair Trade with Mexico
Florida Strawberry Growers Association Dover, Fla. (August 18, 2020) – U.S. trade officials and federal agencies held the first of two virtual meetings on August 13 with the agriculture industry to hear testimonies on unfair trade practices with Mexico. More than 35 witnesses testified to a hearing committee consisting of representatives from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, U.S. Department …
Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates
Clemson Extension agents provided updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Statewide Dr. Tony Keinath with a word on crop rotation. “To keep the soil on your farm productive over the long term, do not replant the same vegetable, or a related crop, in the same field “too …
Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates
Clemson Extension agents provided updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Coastal Rob Last reports, “Across the area fall plantings are growing on and developing well. Scouting for pests and diseases will remain critical to ensure timely applications are made where necessary. For those without fall planted crops …
Bringing Technology to Specialty Crops
United States Department of Agriculture Posted by Greg Astill, Markets and Trade Economics Division, Economic Research Service and Suzanne Thornsbury, Senior Advisor for Agricultural Economics and Rural Communities, Office of the Chief Scientist in Research and Science Advances in technology, automation, and remote sensing is a cross-cutting, macro movement in science impacting agriculture outlined in the USDA Science Blueprint (PDF, …