By Clint Thompson The pecan harvest season is mostly in the books for Georgia producers. While market prices did not cooperate for the growers, production was good, according to Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist. He said additional acreage coming into production offset some of the missed projections by producers at the beginning of the season. “It wasn’t …
Whitefly Management Options for Alabama Producers
By Clint Thompson Whiteflies remain a concern for Alabama specialty crop producers. Unfortunately, they appear to be a constant pest for growers, says Andre da Silva, Alabama Extension vegetable specialist. He spoke about the pest during the recent Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference in Savannah, Georgia. “Our growers need to learn how to manage them during the season. We …
UF/IFAS Ag Engineer Using AI to Assess Crop Damage Following Tropical Storms, Hurricanes
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers are using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to quantify damage to fruits and vegetables caused by extreme weather events, such as Hurricane Ian in 2022. When Ian struck on Sept. 28, it brought winds up to 155 mph and caused as much as $1.56 billion in damage to crops, livestock …
Sweet Corn Seminar Focused on South Florida Production
By Frank Giles Florida produces more sweet corn for the fresh market than any other state. About 37,000 acres of the crop are planted in Florida with more than half of that coming from the Palm Beach County/Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA). This year’s crop got off to a shaky start after experiencing heavy rains and winds from Hurricanes Ian and …
Upcoming Vidalia Onion Meeting
Georgia Vidalia onion producers should mark their calendars for an upcoming Vidalia Onion Crop Update, scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 26, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Vidalia Onion and Vegetable Research Center in Lyons, Georgia. University of Georgia (UGA) Extension specialists will discuss the recent freeze events and their impact on the current crop. UGA researchers will also present …
Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates
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. Statewide Justin Ballew reports, “The coldest temperature I heard of right before Christmas was 7 degrees (in the upstate). That is certainly low enough to damage strawberry crowns. While most folks had their fields …
USDA Publishes Strengthening Organic Enforcement Final Rule
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Organic Program (NOP) previewed the Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) final rule. This update to the USDA organic regulations strengthens oversight and enforcement of the production, handling, and sale of organic products. This final rule implements 2018 Farm Bill mandates, responds to industry requests for updates to the USDA organic regulations, and …
Citrus Leaders Testify on Weather Disasters
Florida agriculture took a wallop from Hurricane Ian last year. Throw in another hurricane (Nicole) and a freeze, and the disaster losses stacked up. The state’s citrus industry took a particularly hard hit. On Jan. 17, citrus industry representatives headed to Tallahassee to testify before the Florida Senate Agriculture Committee about the toll these weather events had on an already …
Florida Peaches Running Behind Schedule
By Clint Thompson The Christmas freeze event brought much needed chill hours to Florida’s peach crop. But it still lags behind historical averages, according to Jose Chaparro, associate professor in the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). He said the crop this year will be delayed as a result. “We’re significantly behind. It looks like our bloom …
No Chill: Florida Peaches Will Be Delayed This Year
By Clint Thompson The Christmas freeze event brought much needed chill hours to Florida’s peach crop. But it still lags behind historical averages, according to Jose Chaparro, associate professor in the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). He said the crop this year will be delayed as a result. “We’re significantly behind. It looks like our …