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  • Following Eta, Florida Farmer: Squash is Melting on the Plant

    National Weather Service Graphic/Shows Eta moving across the northern part of Florida and southern part of Georgia today.

    An already challenging year for Florida vegetable farmer Sam Accursio was made worse this week following the impact of Hurricane Eta on his squash crop; hundreds of acres but no production following heavy rainfall and strong winds.

    “The heaviest impact is going to be to our squash crop. The beans, they were hanging on the plant and they’re up off the ground, so some of the plants took it hard, but we’re still harvesting there. The squash production for Thanksgiving on my farm, I’m not going to be able to meet the demand. There’s no way possible,” said Accursio, who farms in Homestead, Florida. “But there’s nothing we can do. I’m sick over it. We had a decent day of weather (Tuesday), and Tuesday night it rained an inch and a quarter again. It just won’t leave us alone.”

    Excessive Rainfall

    He estimated that from the time rain started falling around Saturday or Sunday until Wednesday, it had rained approximately 10 inches.

    “Squash don’t like either (wind or rain). They’re a hollow plant. Some of the wind where we planted north and south rows, some of the plants just broke off. The fields that were planted east to west, the rain got them but not the wind as bad. It’s a crazy deal,” Accursio said. “I’m out here right now looking at it. No. 1, the bees are non-existent. I don’t know what they’re doing. The actual squash is melting on the plant. What grades out is nice, but there’s not a lot of them.”

    Terrible Timing

    It’s never an ideal time for a farmer to experience hurricane-like conditions, but the damage was magnified this week with Thanksgiving just two weeks away.

    “This is the second time in my career this has happened prior to Thanksgiving. It’s devastating, because we gear up for volume because the consumers are eating. They’re eating everything I grow; beans and squash. It’s going to hurt our bottom line severely,” Accursio said.

    “Everybody’s in the same boat. Some are worse than others. There’s one grower where his farm, it looked completely like a lake. It was devastating. At least mine, in the field that was puddled and every row middle was full but his, you couldn’t see anything green. It was completely like a lake.”

    Accursio’s challenging year started last spring amid the coronavirus pandemic. The closures of restaurants combined with so many citizens unemployed left fruits and vegetables not being consumed like they should be. The onslaught of Mexican imports compounded problems. 

  • Slug Damage a Concern for Growers Amid Rain, Heavy Soil Moisture

    Alabama Extension photo/Ayanava Majumdar

    Rainfall this week combined with soil moisture can bring some unwanted problems for vegetable farmers and gardeners in Alabama, including slugs, according to Alabama Extension.

    Ayanava Majumdar, Alabama Extension Professor in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at Auburn University, said attacks from slugs can occur at various stages of vegetable crops with high intensity noticed in the late stages of crops that can lead to direct feeding damage and even crop contamination. Slugs are very common on brassica crops grown during cooler weather in Alabama, and several slugs may high inside the maturing crop.

    Many crops have zero tolerance for slug contamination which can lead to crop disaster. In previous years, farmers have experienced slug activity in cabbage fields along with yellowmargined leaf beetles.

    Slug management includes various cultural tactics. Manage surface residues and till the soil when necessary to prevent slug buildup. Drain waterlogged areas in and around crop fields when possible, or use abrasive materials such as sand in wet areas not under crop production. Limit irrigation or overhead watering during weather with frequent rainfall – use a soil moisture meter or other devices to accurately determine crop irrigation needs. Since slugs seem to like certain crops (e.g., soft-leaf brassicas), crop rotation, early planting and timely harvest may help reduce the overall population levels.

    According to weather.com, there is an 80% chance of thunderstorms today in Auburn, Alabama where Majumdar is located.

  • Pecan Prices Remain Low

    georgia pecan

    Rain and wind this week have made it a challenge for Georgia pecan producers harvesting this year’s crop. Farmers still can’t find a ray of sunshine amid declining prices.

    According to the USDA Pecan Report that was released on Tuesday, prices are lower than a week ago and most farmers with export quality pecans are holding them in storage until market prices increase; or they will wait until after New Years to offer them for sale.

    Prices include, for lots of 20,000 pounds or less: Cape Fear, $1.18 to $1.36 per pound; Desirables, $1.21 to $1.41 per pound; Elliott, 90 cents to $1 per pound; Seedlings, 40 cents to 50 cents per pound; Stuarts, 50 cents to 75 cents per pound; and Sumner, 70 cents to 80 cents per pound.

    For lots over 20,000 pounds, including truckloads; Cape Fear, $1.18 to $1.36 per pound; Desirables, $1.20 to $1.63 per pound; Stuarts, $1.30 to $1.33 per pound; Sumner, $1.23 to $1.38 per pound.

    The release stated that, “Prices paid to growers (late afternoon Tuesday, November 03, 2020 through late afternoon Tuesday, November 10, 2020) at buyers delivery point or F.O.B. the orchard including direct sales to end users, cents per pound in-shell of generally good quality in lots of 20,000 pounds or less unless otherwise stated.”

  • Hemp Production in Georgia a Success Despite Few Orders That Exceeded Legal Limit

    agriculture
    File photo shows industrial hemp

    Georgia’s first year of commercial hemp production was a success, though, there were some growers who had plants that exceeded the 0.3 THC level required for crop production.

    Mike Evans, director of plant industries who oversees the hemp program at the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA), expects a big change next year to come with more frequent testing from the growers throughout the summer.

    “One thing I think the growers are looking at, they’re going to do more testing of their crop as the crop progresses and starts getting closer to maturity. Unfortunately, we had 17 disposal orders, where the hemp had been tested and found over the limit,” Evans said. “The retest said the same thing, so that cannabis needed to be disposed of. That was 11 growers, but that was a lower percentage than what several other states had their first year.

    “A lot of the growers said they’re going to be testing more frequently.”

    Hemp Statistics

    Evans said there 144 licenses issued in 2020 with 1,450 acres intended for hemp production and 186 greenhouses.

    “Talking with the growers, and I didn’t talk with everyone but a fair number, several of them were planting small acres. There were a lot of one to two acre plots. There were some others that had larger. But a lot of them were of the mindset, ‘I want to figure out how to do this in 2020, and then I’ll decide what I want to do after the season,’” Evans said.

    2021 Applications

    Renewal applications are being accepted now from farmers who grew hemp this year and are interested in producing it again in 2021. The deadline to renew a current license is Dec. 1. The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) will begin accepting new applications for 2021 in January.

     “Overall, I think the first year was successful. From our perspective, we were able to issue licenses, and the growers were able to get the licenses and they were able to get a crop in the ground,” Evans said.

    According to the Georgia Department of Agriculture, under the authority of the Georgia Hemp Farming Act, the GDA is authorized to regulate the cultivation and processing of hemp in the State of Georgia.

  • Pruning tips for ornamental plants

    UGA CAES photo/Each plant in the landscape has its own growth habit and a different requirement for pruning. Some shrubs have dwarf growth habits and may never require pruning, while vigorous large-growing shrubs may require frequent pruning.

    By Brandon Crumsey for UGA CAES News

    To prune or not to prune, that is the question. Pruning is an important part of maintaining plant health and maximizing plant productivity. This is often a topic that brings fear and confusion, but pruning is, in fact, a beneficial and routine task.

    Ornamental plants in the home landscape are pruned for several reasons, including maintaining a desired size or shape; promoting healthy, vigorous growth, flowering or fruiting; and removing sections damaged by insects, disease or weather. Each plant in the landscape has its own growth habit and different requirements for pruning. Some shrubs have dwarf growth habits and may never require pruning, while vigorous, large-growing shrubs may require frequent pruning. Anyone can prune, but not everyone prunes properly.

    Improper pruning, or pruning at the wrong time of the year, can result in misshapen plants, reduced flowering or plants that are more likely to be damaged by insects, diseases or winter cold. Because flowering ornamentals form their flower buds at different times of year, pruning times must be adjusted accordingly.

    Many spring-flowering plants such as azalea, dogwood, forsythia, redbud and rhododendron set flower buds in the fall, so pruning during the fall or winter months eliminates or decreases their spring flower display.

    Plants that typically flower during the summer form flower buds on new growth and can be pruned during the winter with no effect on their flowering. However, sometimes plants may need to be pruned outside of these ideal windows to remove damaged or dead plant parts, to remove obstructions from windows or buildings, or to help stop the spread of diseases.

    As a general rule, plants that flower before May should be pruned after they bloom, while those that flower after May are considered summer-flowering and can be pruned just prior to spring growth.

    One exception to this rule is the oakleaf hydrangea, a summer-flowering shrub that forms flower buds the previous season.

    Another exception are late-flowering azalea cultivars, which bloom during May, June or July. Prune both the oakleaf hydrangea and late-flowering azalea cultivars after they bloom. Newer azalea varieties like the ‘Encore’ line, which bloom in the spring, summer and fall, don’t require much pruning — if any at all — as long as they are planted in the right place. At most, you may need to prune taller shoots back into the body of the plant immediately after spring flowering. ‘Knock Out’ roses start flowering in spring up until frost, but should be pruned back to about 12 inches to the ground in early spring, after the threat of last frost has passed, to help stimulate vigorous growth throughout the season.

    Other types of plants, like broadleaf evergreen shrubs, generally require little or no pruning at all because they usually develop a naturally symmetric growth habit when left alone, but late winter when they are dormant is usually a good time if pruning is desired.

    Pruning is only harmful to a plant if done incorrectly or at the wrong time. With the right information and confidence, pruning should become a normal part of your landscape maintenance routine.

    To learn more about pruning ornamental plants, see University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Bulletin 961, “Pruning Ornamental Plants In The Landscape,” and Bulletin 949, “Basic Principles of Pruning Woody Plants,” which can be found at extension.uga.edu/publications.

  • Prize-Winning Pumpkin Weighs in at More Than a Quarter Ton

    UGA CAES photo/Peyton Collins of Union County had the prize-winning pumpkin, weighing 548 pounds.

    By Austin Clark for CAES News

    More than 25 pumpkins were submitted to Georgia 4-H’s 2020 statewide pumpkin-growing contest, with the largest pumpkin, cultivated in north Georgia’s Union County, weighing in at a whopping 548 pounds.

    All Georgia 4-H youth were encouraged to participate by submitting one pumpkin for consideration. Participants took their entries to their local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension office for weighing. This year, the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association sponsored the contest, donating prize money of $100 for first place, $50 for second place and $25 for third place.

    The winners of the 2020 Georgia 4-H Pumpkin Growing Contest are:

    1. Peyton Collins, Union County, 548 pounds
    2. Natalie Payne, Union County, 432 pounds
    3. Ava Sharp, Union County, 316 pounds

    Georgia 4-H empowers youth to become true leaders by developing necessary life skills, positive relationships and community awareness. As the largest youth leadership organization in the state, 4-H reaches more than 242,000 people annually through UGA Extension offices and 4-H facilities. For more information, visit georgia4h.org.

  • Popular UF/IFAS Vegetable Gardening Guide Available in Spanish and as an App

    Robbie Griffin of the Family Nutrition Program harvesting leafy greens being harvested from a vegetable garden. Photo taken 02-02-20.

    November 10, 2020

    By: Brad Buck, 813-757-2224, bradbuck@ufl.edu

    With COVID-19 lingering, it might be a good time to use your green thumb to grow some vegetables in your garden. While you’re at it, you can get help from the UF/IFAS Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide — now also in Spanish — and as a downloadable web app.

    Because we’re nearing the holidays, let’s look at some vegetables you can grow in November and December throughout Florida: beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, collards, kale, spinach and others.

    “It’s a great time to be growing veggies in Florida,” said Sydney Park Brown, co-author of the Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide. A just-released Spanish version is also available.

    The Vegetable Gardening Guide is a collaborative effort of faculty from three UF/IFAS departments: horticultural sciences, environmental horticulture and entomology and nematology. Danielle Treadwell, associate professor of horticultural sciences and Francisco Rivera, an agent for UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County, spearheaded the new Spanish translation.

    The Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide was created in the 1970s by Jim Stephens, a UF/IFAS professor emeritus of horticultural sciences. It has proven to be the most popular UF/IFAS Extension document year after year. Park Brown led an effort in 1999 to substantially revise the original guide, and it’s undergone several revisions since then.

    But the app really refreshes the approach to residential vegetable-gardening efforts.

    “The Florida Fresh web app offers a modern-day way to access the information in the vegetable gardening guide,” said Park Brown, a retired UF/IFAS Extension educator. “Gardeners simply enter their zip code, and the app generates a list of the vegetables that can be planted at that time of year and in that part of the state – whether that’s north, central or south Florida.”

    The free app also offers detailed information on each vegetable links to a host of helpful publications in the UF/IFAS Electronic Data Information Source (EDIS), and refers gardeners to UF/IFAS Extension experts in their county, and lots more, Park Brown said.

    “It also lists the Florida-grown veggies and fruits that are in markets at that time of year,” Park Brown said. “This part of the app was a collaboration with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ ‘Fresh from Florida’ campaign.”

  • Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates

    Clemson Extension agents provided updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state.

    Weekly Field Update – 11/9/20

    Coastal

    Zack Snipes reports, “It seems like we experience fall and summer in the same day this time of year. I visited a few farms and saw residual damage from whiteflies (silver leaves, virus, and stunted plants). The good news is that overall populations of whiteflies are down this week. The armyworm numbers are still high in a lot of crops so keep an eye out for those. We have lots of good products for them so choose something other than a group 3 or 4 insecticide. I have seen some white mold (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) in some brassica crops this week. I have some great reports from strawberry fields and other not so great reports. If you have issues, please call me so we can fix them before they get out of hand.

    White mold symptoms on Brussel sprout. Photo from Zack Snipes.

    Midlands

    Justin Ballew reports, “We had some very warm afternoons this past week. The air has been much drier as well. Young strawberries are responding well and have put out a good amount of new growth. Weak plants caused by J-rooting and deep planting are making themselves evident now. The drier air has allowed some growers to get a handle on the disease issues that have plagued us for the last few weeks. However, there is lots of warm, wet weather in the forecast, so plan your fungicide applications accordingly and rotate modes of action. Other crops are still growing well and we have folks picking tomatoes, squash, beans and various brassicas.

    All the strawberry plants in this small area were J-rooted and subsequently died. Photo from Justin Ballew.

    Sarah Scott reports, “Patchy frost brought an end to some fields of summer crops like squash and zucchini, however, most areas did not see damage from cold temps. Cole crops are progressing nicely, but insect populations are high this fall, including aphids and imported cabbage worms. Strawberry plants have gone in and are taking root and getting established.”

    Caterpillar populations have been high around the ridge this fall. Photo from Sarah Scott.

    Pee Dee

    Tony Melton reports, “Getting dry. Hope we get some rain later in the week. Greens are growing very fast with warm weather. Frost burned the very tops of some crops like sweet potatoes, tomatoes and peas but did not really hurt them much. Very little grasshopper pressure for some reason this fall.” 

  • Lobbyist: We Have to Send a Common Message

    Growers take steps to protect farmworkers’ health so they can continue to ensure an abundant, safe food supply is available to U.S. consumers. Image source: The Pajaronian

    One governmental lobbyist believes agricultural groups and organizations need to tackle issues together and not depend on Congress to devise its own playbook with topics that are trending across the country.

    This would lead to more touchdowns rather than missed opportunities.

    Bob Redding, who works for the Redding Firm and serves as a lobbyist for agricultural groups in Washington, D.C., believes agricultural groups from the west and southeast need to work cohesively on topics like H-2A reform especially during a time of transition in Congress and in the White House.

    Redding Comments

    Bob Redding with the Redding Firm speaks during the Ag Forecast meeting in Lyons, Georgia in 2018. By UGA CAES.

    “Every time we get into a new Congress and we start talking about an immigration reform package or Ag labor or H2A reform package, we have groups spring up to work on these things. This sends a very mixed message to members of Congress, particularly those who haven’t been around a while and haven’t been involved in this debate,” Redding said. “As you know, the frequency of members coming and going in Congress, not staying very long, staff coming and going; (there’s) less seniority and less tenure. It’s very confusing. We have each side come up. They do their fly-ins at the beginning of Congress, first or second quarter, and the messages are all different. Some are weighted heavier for the west. Some are heavier for the southeast.

    “We have to get together and send a common message. We can’t go to Congress and say, ‘We can’t figure out what to do. You fix it for us.’ That’s just not going to work. It hasn’t worked. We have a multi-year track record of failing on these initiatives. Until we figure that out from an industry perspective, we really aren’t going to make any progress on it.”

    H-2A

    H-2A refers to the temporary agricultural employment of foreign workers. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Section 218 of the Immigration and Nationality Act Authorizes the lawful admission into the United States of temporary, nonimmigrant workers to perform agricultural labor or services of a temporary or seasonal nature.

    Redding said the administrative burden on H-2A is getting worse for employers who utilize the program.

    “If the new administration takes a different view on H-2A than the current administration, the administrative piece is going to get worse. We may see some reforms. We went from the (President Georgia W.) Bush administration to (President Barak) Obama’s first term, there were some reforms that were reversed at the Department of Labor,” Redding said. “This part could get more problematic for Ag employers if we don’t address something from the employer side through Congress. The pitch is in the first couple of quarters that growers from these two regions need to work it out.”

    According to a previous story in VSCNews, Florida was the largest user of the H-2A program during the first three quarters of the year with 28,005 certified positions. Georgia, another major user of the program, listed a little more than 23,000 certified positions.

    Updated Methodology

    Just recently, the Department of Labor updated the methodology for determining the annual Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWRs) in the H-2A program. The new rule improves the consistency of the AEWRs, provides stronger protections for workers and establishes better stability and predictability for employers in complying with their wage obligations.

  • GATE Renewal Now Open

    File photo shows spraying being done in the field.

    Annual renewal for the Georgia Agriculture Tax Exemption (GATE) program is now open. Eligible farmers can renew their GATE card for 2021 online starting Friday, November 6, 2020, by visiting https://forms.agr.georgia.gov/GATE/.

    GATE cardholders who are to renew in 2021 will automatically be placed on the new three-year renewal program and will receive their renewal invoice in 2024. All current cards will expire December 31, 2020. Cardholders currently on two and three-year renewals will receive their 2021 cards with the new expiration date of December 31, 2021, and do not need to renew or apply for the 2021 year.

    The GATE program was created through legislation to offer qualified agriculture producers a sales tax exemption on agricultural equipment and production inputs. Qualified farmers and agricultural producers can apply to receive a certificate showing that they are eligible for this exemption. Farmers are required to present the current year GATE Card at the time of each purchase.

    Producers needing assistance can contact the GATE program team at 855-FARMTAX or farmtax@agr.georgia.gov.