By Clint Thompson Recent rainfall helped alleviate much of the abnormally dry conditions being felt across the Southeast, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Georgia’s abnormally dry conditions are now mostly isolated to the northern part of the state, as far south as Heard County along the Georgia-Alabama line, across to Hart County along the Georgia-South Carolina line, and includes …
ADAMA’s Cormoran® Effective Against Larval Stages of Insect Pests
By Clint Thompson One insecticide from ADAMA could be a secret weapon for Southeast producers hoping to reduce pest pressure in various specialty crops. Cormoran® attacks the larval stages of insect pests, which makes it a vital part of a grower’s insecticidal rotation, says Jorge Menocal, territory sales representative for ADAMA. “When you refer to specialty vegetables, it’s critical to …
Sneak Peek: January 2021 Specialty Crop Industry Magazine
By Clint Thompson A new year brings a new name to VSCNews Magazine. That’s right, the leader in specialty crop news will now be known as Specialty Crop Industry. The January issue of Specialty Crop Industry highlights the name change and what it means for its parent company, AgNet Media. The issue also focuses on blueberries and highlights different aspects …
Fertilization of Blueberries in Pine Bark Beds
By Doug Phillips and Jeffrey G. Williamson Blueberries have specific nutrient requirements that differ from other horticultural crops. They have shallow root systems and no root hairs, which limits the ability to take up nutrients. Blueberries grow best in acidic soils (ideal pH range of 4.5 to 5.5) with at least 3% organic matter and prefer the ammonium form of …
South Carolina Agribusinesses Receive Business Training, Funding
COLUMBIA – The Agribusiness Center for Research and Entrepreneurship (ACRE), in partnership with Clemson Cooperative Extension, has closed its fourth annual Agribusiness Planning Curriculum. It awarded grant funding to seven emerging South Carolina agribusinesses. Participants learned about marketing, financial planning, legal requirements, state and federal grant opportunities, and skills to set their agribusinesses up for success. Sixteen entrepreneurs participated in …
Rubio, Warnock Introduce Bill to Bolster Local Agriculture, Expand Access to Florida-Grown Products on Military Bases
Washington, D.C. — Two U.S. senators recently introduced bipartisan legislation that would help local agriculture and expand access to locally-grown products on military bases. U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) introduced the Farm to Base Food Security Act to help the federal government better understand the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) food procurement policies and bolster relationships …
Pecan Prices Stay High for Growers
Pecan prices remain high this week for top quality and export quality pecans, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service. As supply continues to dwindle in the latter part of the season in Georgia, producers likely headed back out to their orchards Wednesday and Thursday following inclement weather the early part of the week. Prices paid to …
Christmas Tree Sales: It’s Unreal
By Clint Thompson Christmas tree sales started early and ended earlier for one South Georgia farmer. “The sales were unreal,” said Jerry Hubbard, owner of Hubbard Christmas Tree Farm in Thomasville, Georgia. Hubbard’s ‘unreal’ year of Christmas tree sales started in mid-November and ended in mid-December. People visited from all over the Southeast to cut a tree. Hubbard even had …
ABT Population Update in South Florida
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) reports that higher Asian bean thrips (ABT) populations were reported across South Florida. However, these were observed only in more mature plantings with few blooms. Insecticide applications are not recommended unless scouting indicates populations are greater than 1.0 ABT per bud or bloom. Populations reached 0.6 per bloom in …
Looming Deadline: EPA Ban of Chlorpyrifos Will Impact Peach Production
By Clint Thompson The looming deadline for revocation of tolerances for the use of chlorpyrifos (lorsban) means peach tree producers have a little more than two months to find alternatives in managing two pests. According to Brett Blaauw, assistant professor at the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the ban of chlorpyrifos will impact growers differently …