By Clint Thompson Another peach season is in the books for most Georgia producers. After the late-season freeze event on March 13, growers were fortunate just to have a crop this year. Jeff Cook, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources agent for Peach and Taylor counties, discussed how fortunate farmers were to have peaches at all when …
UF/IFAS Researchers Discover Genes Responsible for Flavor Compounds in Strawberries
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) scientists have found the genes behind several aromatic chemicals that enhance the strawberry’s taste. These findings will help UF/IFAS researchers Vance Whitaker and Seonghee Lee as they study the sources of the unique aroma in strawberries. The genes that control aroma and flavor are connected. “Finding the sources of a …
Food Recalls vs. Outbreaks: What Growers Need to Know
By Camila Rodrigues The number of news stories on produce recalls from retail stores and outbreaks related to contaminated food have increased in recent years. These include recent cases of hepatitis A linked to fresh strawberries and several cases of E. coli outbreaks linked to romaine lettuce. The terms “recall” and “outbreak” can be very confusing since they are commonly …
UF/IFAS Senior Vice President Speaks Out on New Florida Fertilizer Recommendations
Scott Angle, senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources and leader of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), recently marked his second year on the job. From the beginning, he emphasized his commitment to updating fertilizer recommendations in the state. We asked Angle about new fertilizer recommendations being developed for five key crops and …
Neopestalotiopsis Concerns in Alabama
By Clint Thompson A new strawberry disease in Alabama was not as bad as it could have been. Farmers can thank the dry weather conditions that neopestalotiopsis fruit rot disease did not devastate more plants than it could have. Growers only have to look at Florida to see the devastation this disease can cause. “One problem that did develop is …
U.S. and Florida Farmland Values on the Rise
By Frank Giles The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service has released its 2022 Land Values Summary. The annual report shows agricultural property increased year-over-year following other trends in inflation. The United States farm real estate value, a measurement of the value of all land and buildings on farms, averaged $3,800 per acre for 2022, up $420 …
Insect Concerns? Possible Resistance to Coragen in Beet Armyworm
By Clint Thompson University of Georgia (UGA) Extension specialists are alerting specialty crop producers about the potential resistance of Coragen in beet armyworms. Stormy Sparks, (UGA) Extension vegetable entomologist, cautions growers in the UGA Extension Vegetable Blog that beet armyworm is surviving applications of chlorantraniliprole (Coragen, Prevathon, Vantacor, Besiege) in cowpea and peanut fields. While additional research needs to be …
Register for Upcoming Tomato Conference
Registration is ongoing for the upcoming Florida Tomato Conference, scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 7, at the LaBelle Civic Center in LaBelle, Florida. The one-day event will feature insight from industry leaders and university specialists. They will discuss trends affecting the industry’s future, how diseases and insects are impacting production and how genetic research is impacting the crop’s future. Multiple businesses …
North Alabama: Rain Needed for Fall Plantings of Strawberries
By Clint Thompson The current drought impacting northern Alabama could impact fall plantings of strawberries if the dry weather lingers much longer. Eric Schavey, regional Extension agent in Northeast Alabama, discusses the importance that rainfall could bring over the next couple of weeks. Unfortunately, it’s not an unfamiliar scenario for producers. “We’re getting ready for our fall planting of strawberries. …
Citrus Greening and Canker Concerns for Georgia Growers
The recent Citrus Growers’ Summer Update in Valdosta, Georgia, provided growers another outlet to learn about two diseases — citrus greening and citrus canker — that could have serious ramifications on the industry’s future in Georgia. Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist, highlighted the seriousness of the discovery of both of the diseases in …