The 2021 Florida legislative session will be described in the history books as unique. COVID-19 protocols resulted in empty and eerily quiet hallways in the Capitol. Masks and regular COVID-19 tests were required, and citizens and lobbyists made public comments virtually from a building blocks away from the Capitol. The beginning and end of the session were polar opposites. Based …
Growing Pains: Georgia Hemp Industry Facing Difficult Challenges
In a study on genomic and chemical diversity in industrial hemp published in Frontiers in Plant Genetics, University of Georgia (UGA) 2020 doctoral graduate Matthew Johnson and UGA Associate Professor Jason Wallace found “significant naming and quality-control issues” among industrial hemp varieties available to producers. Hemp is the same species as marijuana (Cannabis sativa). The difference is that plants with less …
Sneak Peek: August ’21 VSCNews Magazine
By Clint Thompson The August issue of VSCNews Magazine provides an in-depth preview of the upcoming Citrus, Vegetable and Specialty Crop Expo, scheduled for Aug. 18-19 in North Fort Myers, Florida. The magazine provides a schedule of events for the citrus and vegetable and specialty crop sessions. It also provides an exhibitor directory and map so attendees will know which …
Market Improvement: Pecan Prices Should Increase Amid Improved Demand
By Clint Thompson Good news may be on the horizon for pecan producers in Georgia and Alabama. Market prices may be improving in the near future. According to Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pecan specialist, various factors are pointing to an increase in prices for farmers. “It’s looking like all the nuts we held in cold storage, that …
Gummy Stem Blight: How to Prepare for Disease in Fall Cucurbit Crops
Source: The South Carolina Grower From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath. Gummy stem blight is more common and more severe on fall cucurbit crops than crops grown in the spring. The cooler weather and longer dew periods in the fall provide an ideal environment for the fungal pathogen to grow and spread. Gummy stem blight is most common on watermelon …
Technological Advancements Helpful in Preserving Florida’s Water Supply
By Clint Thompson Water is one of the most valuable resources Florida vegetable and specialty crop producers utilize every season. But that doesn’t mean there’s an endless supply. “I think it is easy for us to forget it is a finite resource and there are limits. It’s easy for us to forget because we just got five inches of rain …
UF Scientist: Understanding the Past is Really a Window to the Future
LAKE ALFRED, Fla. — University of Florida scientists aiming to find a solution to citrus greening disease are looking to the past to hopefully find the answer. In a new study, published in Nature Communications, UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences collaborated with an international team of scientists and analyzed 69 genomes from the East Asian mandarin family, alongside their …
What’s Happening? Fruit, Vegetable Crop Updates in South Carolina
Clemson Extension agents provide updates in the The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Statewide The SC Specialty Crop Association is offering a new grant opportunity, the Enhancing Crop Packaging Cost Share Program. With this new cost share program, growers can receive reimbursement up to $1,800 per grower for packaging …
AFBF President Duvall Hosts Mexico Leaders for Wide-Ranging Discussion
American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Zippy Duvall met with Tatiana Clouthier, Mexico’s Secretary of the Economy, and Esteban Moctezuma Barragón, Mexico’s Ambassador to the U.S., last week to discuss various trade matters, the use of technology to advance agriculture and the border crisis. Mexico is the third largest destination for U.S. agricultural exports. “It was a pleasure to host …
Monitoring Update: Insect Pressure Remains High Across Alabama
Insect pressure remains high across Alabama. According to the Alabama Insect Pest Monitoring Update, released Friday, July 23, fall armyworms, southern armyworms, corn earworms and squash vine borers are all reporting higher numbers than compared to this time last year. Alabama Extension recorded the moth numbers in 19 locations across Alabama. There were 585 fall armyworms, compared to 114 in …