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  • Knowing Nitrogen: How Much Should Pecan Producers Apply?

    UGA CAES photo/Shows pecan trees being planted.

    One of University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pecan specialist Lenny Wells’ points of emphasis this winter has been the need for growers to cut costs, not corners amid low prices.

    One way to do that is by considering how much nitrogen is needed and in what form. Wells provides insight for growers who need to save money every chance they get.

    “Nitrogen, depending on what you use, the cost can be variable,” said Wells during a winter production meeting. “I see a lot of people using 200 pounds an acre or more of nitrogen. I can tell you, from doing research on this myself and from reading the research that has been done for 100 years on pecans, in the Southeastern U.S., there’s not really benefit at all to applying more than 100 to 125 pounds of nitrogen per acre. If you’re applying more than that, you’re probably applying too much.”

    Nitrogen Forms

    Producers also must decide how to apply the nitrogen. There’s different dry nitrogen forms that farmers can use, including ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate and urea.

    “Ammonium nitrate has gotten expensive and hard to find because of some of the storage issues that are related to it now, the safety involved. Ammonium sulfate is a good source of nitrogen and urea; those three are about the only three we have used here,” Wells said.

    Based on a research study on the UGA Tifton campus the past six years, Wells has researched the different nitrogen forms and their impact on yield, percent kernel, nut count. There is no difference in all three. Wells’ recommendation is to proceed with the least expensive, which is Urea at $34.56 per acre at 100 pounds per acre. Ammonium sulfate costs around $63.09 per acre.

    Wells also recommends that growers split their nitrogen applications, applying 75% in April and an additional spray in June and late August if needed.

  • Wacky Weather: Alabama Planting Season Nears Amid Excessive Rainfall, Drought

    The most recent US Drought Monitor shows parts of Alabama in a moderate drought.

    Planting season nears for Alabama vegetable producers. Once again, weather will play a key role as farmers prepare to plant this spring’s crops.

    Joe Kemble, Alabama Extension vegetable specialist, implores producers to wait until soil temperatures increase above a certain level and stay that way for several days straight. That will be a better environment for seed to germinate and transplants to grow.

    “We like to plant by the calendar but unfortunately that just doesn’t work out really well sometimes. So, the best way to do that is to measure your soil temperature. For small and large growers, you want your soil temperature to be above 60, 65 degrees Fahrenheit for several days in a row,” Kemble said. “That’s actually a better indicator of when it’s time to put in your squash planting or your tomatoes. Anything below that, it can hamper seed germination and stand establishment. It can also knock back some of the warm season crops that go in as transplants.”

    Excessive Moisture

    Some growers may not have much choice than to wait for soil temperatures to warm. Parts of the state have experienced excessive rainfall this month. Some growers are still waiting for fields to dry out.

    “Between Alabama and South Georgia, we’ve gotten a lot of rain over the last couple of weeks. That’s hampering a lot of growers getting in the field and getting things prepared,” Kemble said.

    Moderate Drought

    But then there is a portion of southwest Alabama that could use some rainfall. According to the US Drought Monitor, Dallas County, Lowndes County, Marengo County, Monroe County, Wilcox County are classified in a moderate drought why surrounding counties are abnormally dry.

    “They’re definitely drier than the rest of Alabama. Most of Alabama got a lot of rain over the last couple of weeks. A little dry is okay,” Kemble said. “You still need a little bit of moisture though to plow effectively. If it’s too dry, you end up plowing and you create soil clots. You can sort of create a real mess for yourself.”

  • QLA Deadline: Pecan Producers Reminded to Sign Up

    UGA CAES photo: Uprooted pecan trees due to Hurricane Michael. 10-11-18

    University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pecan specialist Lenny Wells encourages producers to apply for the Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) program. The deadline for the USDA program, which provides assistance to farmers who suffered eligible losses due to natural disasters in 2018 and 2019, is Friday, March 5.

    Wells reminded growers of the program in the UGA Pecan Extension blog.

    Hurricane Michael

    Georgia producers were significantly impacted by Hurricane Michael in 2018. According to UGA Extension, pecans suffered $100 million in direct losses to the crop in 2018, $260 million in losses due to lost trees and $200 million in direct losses for future income.

    According to the USDA, the program will assist producers whose eligible crops suffered quality losses due to such natural disasters as qualifying drought, excessive moisture, flooding and hurricanes.

    Wells also noted that in addition to Hurricane Michael, pecan producers would also qualify for the 2019 season when hot and dry conditions late in the year led to losses in pecan quality.

    “The best documentation you can provide will be an invoice from your buyer with the price and percent kernel showing loss of quality and price along with another invoice from this buyer within the same time period for similar lots showing no quality loss or perhaps even a letter from the buyer verifying this quality-based loss,” Wells said in the UGA Pecan Extension blog.

    Click here for more information about the program.   

  • What’s Next? Georgia Producer Concerned About Future of American Farmer

    Georgia vegetable producer Sam Watson may not be a blueberry farmer, but he had a vested interest in the International Trade Commission’s recent decision regarding the impact of blueberry imports.

    Watson

    Watson, like his farming brethren, was disappointed that the ITC did not find that imports do have a significant injury to the domestic industry.

    “It’s just really frustrating and disheartening. We all know what’s happening,” Watson said. “I’m just afraid corporate America, these corporate farms and politics have played a big role in it.”

    The decision was made despite staggering statistical evidence of how the rise of imports in previous years from countries like Mexico has led to diminished prices.

    Another ITC Hearing

    Watson, managing partner of Chill C Farms in Colquitt County, Georgia, produces squash, zucchini, bell pepper, cabbage, eggplant and cucumbers. Squash and cucumbers are scheduled for a similar hearing with the ITC on April 8.

    The future of the American farmers is at stake with these hearings. With all of the competitive advantages that Mexico has, how can Southeast farmers compete? They can’t, says Watson.

    “When you go to talk about the regulatory side, the labor side, the subsidy side, the fact that they can just outright do it cheaper than we can … it doesn’t matter how much is coming because they’re just going to eventually put us out anyway. They can just do it cheaper,” Watson said.

    The USITC is currently seeking input for two additional investigations regarding the impact of imported cucumbers and squashes on the U.S. seasonal markets. The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) requested the investigations in a letter. The USITC will hold a public virtual hearing regarding the investigations on April 8 at 9:30 a.m.

  • Sneak Peek: March 2021 VSCNews Magazine

    The March issue of VSCNews Magazine targets the best pest management practices for growers.

    Asian vegetable production is blooming in Florida. As the industry flourishes, so are nematodes. Since most Asian vegetable crops do not have a pesticide label, researchers from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) investigate non-chemical nematode management methods to control the pest.

    Mites can cause significant damage on blueberry plants if not properly managed. The southern red mite and false spider mite can wreak havoc on southern highbush blueberries throughout the Southeast. A team of UF/IFAS researchers address these pests and proper management tactics.

    Corn silk flies are the most damaging insects of sweet corn in southern Florida. Julien Beuzelin, an assistant professor at the UF/IFAS Everglades Research and Education Center, reports on his latest research.

    Lastly, pollinators play an important role in the production of crops around the nation. Florida’s hot, humid climate is ideal for crop production year-round. Unfortunately, this favorable environment paves the way for various pests. When using chemical controls, it’s important to consider the potential impacts on pollinators. Researchers at UF/IFAS address how to effectively manage pests while protecting pollinators.

    Find all these articles and more, coming soon in the next issue of VSCNews magazine.

    To receive future issues of the magazine, subscribe here.

  • $15 Minimum Wage? Potential Increase Would Impact Southeast Producers

    Image source: The Pajaronian

    The Biden Administration’s push for a $15 minimum wage would have significant ramifications for farmers who utilize the H-2A program.

    Veronica Nigh, economist with American Farm Bureau, discusses the financial impact a higher minimum wage would have on Southeast vegetable and specialty crop producers.

    “The H-2A program stipulates you have to pay the highest wage of (either) the state minimum wage, the federal minimum wage, the AEWR (Adverse Effect Wage Rate) or the prevailing wage, which is something that we see more often in the northwest corner of the U.S. If we were to see a federal minimum wage go to $15 per hour, currently the H-2A (rate) in the southeast is $11.81 and in Florida it’s $12.08; if you had to pay the higher of AEWR or the federal minimum wage, it’s going to go up,” Nigh said.

    Trickle-Down Effect

    An increased minimum wage would have a trickle-down effect on a farmer’s workforce.

    “If you’re paying your minimum wage employees a higher rate then all other wages for anyone more skilled than that are also going to go up. There is a concern that increasing minimum wage would be an inflation rate for all wages,” Nigh said. “It’s not unconnected to other wages.”

    Other Requirements

    This does not even consider producers’ other requirements. These include housing, transportation and meals that they must account for when utilizing the program.

    Florida has already approved legislation that would increase its minimum wage to $15. But that threshold won’t be met until 2026.

    What remains in question is whether the legislation regarding a $15 federal minimum wage will be passed at all? And in how quick of a timeframe?

    “Look back 10 years ago. The AEWR in 2012 was $9.39 in Alabama. Today, it’s $11.81. Over that 10-year period, it went up $2.42, which would be less than what it would go up if the minimum wage would go up to $15,” Nigh said. “If an increase in the minimum wage would be put forward, how quickly it would go into effect and reach its full level is really important. Currently, federal minimum wage is $7.25. If that were to go up to $15, it’s obviously more than twice as much what it is now. How many years it takes to phase that in would be important.”

    H-2A workers just received a bump in pay for the upcoming production season.

  • Rapid Response: New UGA Test for Fusarium Wilt a Major Help for Watermelon Producers

    UGA CAES photo: UGA plant pathology graduate student Owen Hudson (left) and research scientist Emran Ali (right) helped develop a faster protocol for detecting Fusarium wilt disease through a PCR assay.

    University of Georgia scientists have developed a rapid test to determine the presence of fusarium wilt in watermelons.

    This test produces much faster and more efficient results and will facilitate research for breeders who are researching new varieties. They can produce options that have resistance to the disease.

    Emran Ali, head of the Plant Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Georgia Tifton campus, said in the UGA CAES Newswire that the process takes about three hours to diagnose races, which is a major upgrade since traditional bioassays can take more than a month.

    “At the microscopic level, you can diagnose Fusarium, but you can’t differentiate the races,” said Ali in the UGA CAES Newswire. “Traditional bioassay methods have been used for this, but it takes weeks to grow watermelon plants and evaluate the disease, and watermelon cultivars used for the bioassay can be difficult to source. This method is not only inefficient, it is also sometimes inaccurate.”

    Huge Help for Farmers

    Fusarium wilt symptoms can appear at any growth stage.

    Georgia is a consistent national leader in watermelon production. The crop’s farm gate value was $180 million in 2019. If farmers know the specific race of fusarium wilt that’s in their field, they can make the right management decisions. So far, four races of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum (FON) have been identified. Some commercial watermelon varieties are resistant to races zero and one, but not races two and three.

    “Resistant watermelon varieties are effective against some races but not others,” said Ali in the UGA CAES Newswire. “If you quickly diagnose, growers can have more time in advance to know what’s going on in their fields. It’s good to know what’s going on. Watermelon varieties resistant to races zero and one are available, so you may grow resistant varieties to control disease caused by these races. Other races are more destructive and more difficult to control.”

    The new molecular detection method allows differentiation of the different races of the pathogen.

    Disease Symptoms

    Fusarium wilt symptoms can appear at any growth stage. If they appear at the seedling stage, the plants will not make it to vines. Plants infected with the fusarium wilt pathogen will eventually die if the infection is severe. The plant can produce fruit if the infection is weak, but when it begins using the energy necessary to produce fruit, the plant will likely decline and slowly die.

    Click here for more information from the UGA CAES Newswire story.

  • Asian Bean Thrips: Insect Infestations Increasing in South Florida

    South Florida continues to be a hot spot for Asian bean thrips (ABT). According to UF/IFAS, the insect that feeds on wild cowpea is increasing across the region. Charlotte County is the latest county in which the ABT has been identified.

    UF/IFAS photo.

    Populations have also been observed in West Palm Beach.

    Other species of thrips have increased as well. Multiple farms have thrips of other species. However, it’s ABT that seems to be the prevailing problem for many producers.

    “One scout noted that after a swarm of thrips moved into blooming plants, the grower sprayed and only ABT was left. This highlights the potential difficulty of managing ABT after the budding stage,” according to this week’s UF/IFAS scouting report.

    Click here for management recommendations.

    Prevention is an important foundation of an Integrated Pest Management program. These measures include cultural control, such as sanitation, utilizing resistant varieties and establishing crop free periods. One aspect of preventative measures that must be taken by growers to sufficiently reduce populations of an insect pest is eliminating its alternate hosts.

  • Looming Deadline: GFVGA Survey Due Friday

    The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) wants Ag workers protected during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. As vaccinations continue to be administered across the country, the GFVGA is emphasizing the importance of essential Ag workers.

    This includes family, full-time employees and seasonal employees comprised of domestic, migrant and H-2A employees.

    GFVGA is administering a survey that will help inform local Georgia health districts about the essential Ag worker presence they will have during the upcoming spring season.

    The deadline to complete the survey is Friday.

    The GFVGA wants vaccines available at the earliest possible date and needs help from producers and industry leaders.

    Most of the decisions about how the vaccinations will be distributed will be made at the local level by the Georgia health department staff and district director as well as local hospitals and pharmacies.

    Participation in this brief survey is critical. For more information, contact the GFVGA office at (706) 845-8200.

  • Georgia Watermelon Producer: We’re Not Panicking Yet

    Watermelons being researched on the UGA Tifton Campus. 6–6-17

    Georgia watermelon producers are not concerned about how excessive rains in February will impact their plantings in March – not yet anyway.

    Dick Minor, with Minor Produce Inc. in Andersonville, Georgia, says Georgia watermelon farmers are still weeks away from needing to get in the field to plant this year’s crop.

    “We’re still a couple of weeks at the earliest and really three weeks from impacting us. If it keeps like this for three or four more weeks, then it’s an issue,” Minor said. “Normally, watermelons in South Georgia are not planted, maybe a few before March 10, but most of them are started around the 15th or 20th of March. I don’t think it’s an impact yet.”

    According to the University of Georgia Weather Network, Moultrie, Georgia received 15.99 inches of rain from Jan. 1 to Feb. 23, compared to just 6.96 in 2020 and 6.61 in 2019. It is similar in Tifton, Georgia where it recorded 15.77 inches during that same timeframe, compared to 7.57 in 2020 and 5.85 in 2019.

     “We would be doing stuff to get fields ready, but it’s not to the point it’s really critical right this minute. Now, if it stays like this for a couple of weeks, it will be. But we’ve got a lot of equipment, we can get things ready in a hurry,” Minor said. “We’re not behind planting. All the plants are in the greenhouse so they’re doing fine. We’re not panicking yet. But if it stays like this a couple more weeks we will be.”

    What Does 2021 Look Like?

    According to Samantha Kilgore, executive director of the Georgia Watermelon Association, acreage was projected to decrease to about 19,000 acres last year. But most of those who produced a crop enjoyed a bountiful harvest and strong prices throughout the season. Farmers are hoping for a repeat in 2021.  

    “We think it’s going to be like normal acres. It’s all going to depend on what else is going on in the world, especially COVID,” Minor said. “If all these restaurants and food service start opening back up, it’ll be good. If a lot of the places up north stay shut down, it probably won’t be as good. We didn’t expect it to be a great market year last year and it was. There’s just no telling. There’s really no way to predict.”