Bob Redding, who works for the Redding Firm and serves as a lobbyist for agricultural groups in Washington, D.C., believes the 117th Congress yields a positive outlook for vegetable and specialty crop producers in the Southeast.
Scott
Prominent Georgians are represented on the House Ag Committee. The committee is empowered with legislative oversight relating to the U.S. agriculture industry, forestry, nutrition and rural development, according to the press release announcing Congressman David Scott (GA-13) as the committee’s new chairman.
Scott has served in the House Ag Committee since 2003. Scott replaces Collin Peterson, who lost his seat in Minnesota’s 7th Congressional District to Michelle Fischbach.
Redding added that Georgia Congressmen Austin Scott (GA-08) and Rick Allen (GA-12) will remain on the House Committee.
Bishop
Congressman Sanford Bishop (GA-02) remains the Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture.
“It’s historical in that one state controls both, in the House, the authorization committee, House Ag, as well as the funding committee or bank for USDA for Food and Drug Administration with House Ag and Appropriations. That’s a very good thing for us, particular Southeasterners and Georgians,” Redding said. “This is highly unusual, historical as far as our lifetime in the House. That should work well for Southeast specialty crop on a lot of the policy issues, dealing with the USDA and FDA.”
Photo submitted by Phil Brannen/Shows bacterial spot disease on a peach.
Susceptible peach varieties make bacterial spot disease a problem that continues to linger for growers in the Southeast.
That was a message that Phil Brannen, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension plant pathologist, presented during last week’s Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference.
“A lot of the varieties that people really want the fruit from are susceptible. Unfortunately, that’s the reality. We do have some resistant varieties or at least some that are much more tolerant of this disease, but those are the ones that don’t have the color that you might want because they’re going to the market and stuff like that. That’s where we run into issues,” Brannen said.
Why are Varieties so Vulnerable?
He added that most of the varieties that producers in Florida, Georgia and Alabama are using originate out of the breeding program in California. But those varieties are grown and developed under much different environmental conditions than in the Southeast.
“They’ll have beautiful peaches. They’ll be very colorful and all the things that the market would demand. That’s great, but they breed these in a dry environment in California. They don’t have bacterial spot because they’re basically growing these things in the desert. They use irrigation under the trees in order to keep them alive,” Brannen said.
“For California, this is not an issue or not a major issue. But you take those same varieties from those breeding programs and say we want those because they produce a beautiful fruit and that’s what we want and you bring them here, they have never been developed in the presence of these diseases as far as their breeding program. Then all of a sudden you realize, ‘Wow, these are really susceptible to bacterial spot.’”
What is Bacterial Spot?
Bacterial spot is a sporadic leaf-spot disease that can cause defoliation in certain cultivars. Spots can also appear on the fruit, causing damage and leaving fruit unmarketable.
Producing peaches in the Southeast can be tricky for growers. They understand that consumers are used to buying certain peaches that exhibit certain traits. That’s why producers are content with growing varieties that are vulnerable to bacterial spot disease.
“There’s two things that sell peaches and neither one of them really have to deal with taste. Taste is variable based on the acidity and sweetness you have in the peach. People like taste based on what they like. The color is strictly a visual type of thing. A lot of people really love a red color or a lot of blush on a peach. You can take a peach that’s very yellow and it would taste maybe better than that red peach. But people are still going to seek that color,” Brannen added.
“The second thing is size. People want a large peach. A smaller peach will taste just as good, maybe better. But people want a large, red luscious peach. That’s what the market demands. That’s what we’re trying to provide.”
WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 2021 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced a new data report, the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement Seasonal Perishable Products Weekly Update, prepared in close partnership with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce). The weekly report is based on data provided by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and its Specialty Crops Market News Division.
“With the impact of COVID-19 on the produce industry, it is critical that we keep an eye on marketplace trends for seasonal and perishable products,” said USDA Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach. “This report will help the federal agencies involved in overseeing the supply chain understand import trends as we work to address industry concerns.”
This new report was first issued in December 2020 and combines information published by AMS Market News into an easy to read description of the current market trends on key imported specialty crops. The commodities highlighted each week will vary seasonally and will change to follow importing seasons and crop cycles. On Sept. 1, 2020, USTR, Commerce and USDA issued a joint report on Seasonal and Perishable Products in U.S. Commerce which highlighted the need for a near-real time market report to provide USTR, Commerce and the public with the volume and prices for selected seasonal and perishable commodities.
According to N.C. State Extension, the new Southeastern Vegetable Crop Handbook is now available online. Extension vegetable specialists across the Southeast come together annually to update this handbook.
In addition to vegetables, garlic, some culinary herbs and hops are also included. There will be a limited number of hard copies available. Due to the lack of in-person vegetable grower meetings this season, they will probably be distributed through your local North Carolina Cooperative Extension offices. More information will be posted on that when it is available. And a big thank you to Vegetable Growers News for partnering with us on this project!
The latest U.S. Drought Monitor show few abnormally dry conditions in the Southeast.
A La Nina weather pattern is usually characterized by warmer temperatures and drier conditions. So far this winter, however, it has been a lot cooler with more rain than originally predicted in the Southeast.
Pam Knox, University of Georgia Extension Agricultural Climatologist, explains why this year’s La Nina is acting abnormally.
Pam Knox
“It’s not unprecedented to have a La Nina like this, but it’s rare. The atmosphere acts like a bowl of jelly. There’s a lot of different things that are jiggling around. The one that’s most predictable is the La Nina vs. El Nino. But this year it turns out there’s a lot of other things that are going on that are changing that usual statistical pattern,” Knox said.
“There’s all this other stuff going on. What we’ve seen is a move south in the track of the storms. Usually in a La Nina year, they’re pretty far up to the north and we stay under high pressure. This year because of other things going on in the Arctic and other places, that storm track has been pushed to the south. We’ve seen a lot more rain. We’ve seen cooler temperatures. It’s a little deceptive. We really haven’t been that cold, it’s just that we’re used to warm temperatures now. So, it feels cold.”
The rainfall is good news for vegetable and specialty crop producers in the Southeast. Winter is a time when the soil moisture gets recharged due to rainfall.
Cooler temperatures are also needed for fruit farmers banking on chill hours to grow a productive crop.
A UGA student campus sustainability grant will provide funds to install regionally appropriate fruiting trees and shrubs near Lake Herrick to provide experiential learning, on-site education and long-term fruit foraging opportunities for students and visitors.
By Josh Paine, UGA CAESNews
A University of Georgia student-led project hopes to produce fruitful results with an edible landscape near Lake Herrick.
One of 13 annual Campus Sustainability Grants recently awarded to UGA students by the Office of Sustainability, the UGA Edible Landscape Project —led by College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) student Abbie Dillon — will install regionally appropriate fruiting trees and shrubs near Lake Herrick to provide experiential learning, on-site education and long-term fruit foraging opportunities for students and visitors.
“Edible landscaping is a fun yet impactful way to bring people closer to plants and the environment as well as allow easier access to free and nutritious food,” said Dillon, a horticulture major who serves as the urban agriculture intern with the Office of Sustainability. “They are super beneficial for pollinators and small wildlife too! If we’re going to put plants in a landscape, why not use ones with delicious fruits attached?”
The landscape plan calls for adding plums, pawpaws, persimmons, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, figs and serviceberries. The project is under the direction of Chris Swann in the UGA Facilities Management Division Grounds Department. Project partners include the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and Sofia Franzluebbers, an undergraduate horticulture major.
Three other grant projects were awarded to CAES students.
Triple Impact Consulting: Sustainability Consulting for Athens Businesses was submitted by Sanisa Foungthong, an avian biology major in CAES, under the direction of Rick Watson in the Terry College of Business. The goal of the project is to provide pro bono, interdisciplinary, student-led sustainability consulting to help local businesses and organizations improve their sustainability metrics through project workstreams and the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit. Project partners include B-Local Georgia and student collaborators Anjali Sindhuvalli, Andrew Schoppenhorst and Nathan Shear.
Swap Shop was submitted by Avery Lumsden, an undergraduate environmental economics and management major in CAES, under the direction of Tyra Byers in the Office of Sustainability. Lumsden is also the zero-waste intern for the office. The goal of the project is to reduce landfill waste and advance an equitable and circular economy in which students have opportunities to donate and freely receive supplies related to student life. Project partners include UGA Libraries, the Interdisciplinary Certificate in Sustainability, and student collaborator Jenna Franke who is pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in environmental economics.
The residential Community Garden Pilot Program was submitted by Abigail Lauterbach, an undergraduate environmental economics and management student in CAES, under the direction of Chera Jo Watts in UGA Housing. The project will serve as a circular food sustainability initiative for students in the Franklin Residential College, including a compost program and garden to enhance students’ relationships with the food they consume. Project partners include the Facilities Management Division Grounds Department and Casey Serrano, an undergraduate computer science student.
Drawn from the Student Green Fee, the sustainability grants of up to $5,000 are available to current UGA students who wish to initiate projects that advance sustainability through education, research, service and campus operations. They are awarded based on merit, positive impact, implementation feasibility and available funding.
Learn more about UGA’s commitment to sustainability and previous grant projects at sustainability.uga.edu.
The UF/IFAS Industrial Hemp Pilot Program is launching a virtual workshop with research and program updates, available online beginning Jan. 11 for $40. The workshop consists of a collection of pre-recorded lectures and prepared documents available for on-demand viewing.
In addition to the virtual delivery, there are opportunities to engage with experts from UF/IFAS.
As the two-year pilot project ends and phases into the established research program, UF/IFAS faculty will share research outcomes, on-farm trial updates and more.
Sessions include:
From Pilot Project to Program, Zack Brym, assistant professor of agroecology, UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center (TREC).
UF/IFAS Hemp Pilot Project Cultivar Approval Program, Jerry Fankhauser, assistant director of the UF/IFAS Florida Agricultural Experiment Station.
On-farm trial updates, featuring the UF/IFAS Hemp Extension Team.
Hemp physiology and management updates, featuring faculty from UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research and Education Center and several graduate student researchers
Invasion risk updates, Susan Canavan, post-doctoral researcher and Luke Flory, associate professor, UF/IFAS agronomy.
Pest and disease updates, featuring Johan Desaeger, assistant professor of entomology and nematology, UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center and new website resources.
Insights into Building a Hemp Industry in Florida, Trent Blare, assistant professor of food and resource economics and statewide Extension specialist at the UF/IFAS TREC.
One agricultural lobbyist believes next Tuesday’s hearing with the International Trade Commission (ITC) regarding blueberry imports is a “story of David and Goliath.”
Bob Redding, who works for the Redding Firm and serves as a lobbyist for agricultural groups in Washington, D.C., believes the American Blueberry Growers Alliance (ABGA) has a strong case to make to the ITC against the imports of blueberries from other countries, including Mexico. But cases will also be made from groups who oppose ABGA’s position.
Redding Comments
Redding
“Once the administration initiated with the ITC the Section 201 investigation, most of these blueberry countries that are blueberry exporters that have been saturating the markets during our growing season, our marketing season, they hired attorneys here and formed organizations. At least one new organization was formed to stop the 201 or to influence the 201 fight or advocate against the position of U.S. blueberry growers,” Redding said.
“It is a story of David and Goliath. I don’t know any other way to put it. The U.S. growers have been impacted negatively. It’s become increasingly problematic as far as marketing and selling at a fair price that would allow these growers to make a profit. They don’t see how over the long run that they survive selling below what their cost of production is.”
Final Decision Rests with the President
Redding also cautions Southeast producers that the final decision will rest with President-Elect Joe Biden and his administration. He will make a decision based on the recommendations from the ITC.
“We do not know their position on this. I’m sure they don’t have one yet. We have a new U.S. Trade Representative. Ambassador (Robert) Lighthizer initiated this and the administration with the ITC. We know how they felt about it,” Redding said. “We will have a confirmation process in the Senate for the new U.S. Trade Rep. Soon thereafter, we’ll start talking with the political folks in the new administration about this issue. I would think that nomination would move through prior to this case finishing up with the ITC.”
Hearing is Necessary
From a blueberry producer’s standpoint, Tuesday’s hearing is necessary because of the disruption in the marketplace from foreign imports.
According to the American Blueberry Growers Alliance, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Marketing Service reported a 68% increase in imported fruit from Mexico from 2019 to 2020, amounting to more than 15 million pounds of fresh blueberries during a 14-week period. Mexico, along with Peru, Chile, Canada and Argentina account for more than 98% of total U.S. imports. Import values increased from $530 million in 2014 to $1.2 billion in 2019.
This drastically impacts the market for producers in blueberry-producing states, including Georgia and Florida.
ABGA’s Position
The ABGA’s position is that American blueberry producers need protection from rising imports from foreign markets, especially during the U.S. growing and harvest season.
“The numbers are very frightening. They just can’t continue to operate with the market being flooded like this. It just doesn’t work,” Redding said. “You look at the compliance variables that U.S. growers have to adhere to, wage rates. If you’re H-2A, you know what those rates are in the Southeast. That is an expensive program, expensive from an administrative position, running those programs and expensive from a wage rate and housing and all that’s being provided; transportation. These countries don’t have to do that.”
American producers also have to contend with environmental variables and food safety variables; much higher standards than the countries exporting to U.S.
“It’s about fairness. It’s about a level playing field. If our growers had the same variables, our growers know they can compete with these countries. But we’re dealing with a different set of rules. They don’t play by the same rules we do,” Redding said.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is allocating more than $70 million to support 383 projects under the Plant Protection Act’s Section 7721 program to strengthen the nation’s infrastructure for pest detection and surveillance, identification, threat mitigation, to safeguard the nursery production system and to respond to plant pest emergencies. Universities, states, federal agencies, nongovernmental organizations, nonprofits, and Tribal organizations will carry out selected projects in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
“State governments, academic institutions, and other essential cooperators across the country use these USDA funds to protect American crops and natural resources and ensure the marketability of our agricultural products across the globe,” said Greg Ibach, Under Secretary for USDA’s Marketing and Regulatory Programs.
The fiscal year 2021 project list includes 29 projects funded through the National Clean Plant Network (NCPN). The NCPN helps our country maintain the infrastructure necessary to ensure that pathogen-free, disease-free and pest-free certified planting materials for fruit trees, grapes, berries, citrus, hops, sweet potatoes, and roses are available to U.S. specialty crop producers.
Since 2009, USDA has supported more than 4,400 projects and provided nearly $670 million in funding through the Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention Program. Collectively, these projects allow USDA and its partners to quickly detect and rapidly respond to invasive plant pests and diseases.
In FY 2021, funded projects include, among others:
Asian giant hornet research and eradication efforts: $944,116 in Washington and other states;
Exotic fruit fly survey and detection: $5,575,000 in Florida and California;
Agriculture detector dog teams: $4,287,097 to programs in California, Florida, and nationally to support detector dog teams;
Honey bee and pollinator health: $1,337,819 to protect honey bees, bumble bees and other important pollinators from harmful pests;
Biosecurity: $1,339,183 to Texas to monitor for pests in agricultural shipments at ports of entry;
Stone fruit and orchard commodities: $1,158,000 to support pest detection surveys in 10 states including New York and Pennsylvania;
Forest pests: $876,485 for various detection tools, control methods development, or outreach to protect forests from harmful pests in 16 states, including Arkansas, Indiana, South Carolina, and New Hampshire;
Phytophthora ramorum (sudden oak death pathogen) and related species: $513,497 in 14 states and nationally for survey, diagnostics, mitigation, probability modeling, genetic analysis, and outreach;
Solanaceous plants (including the tomato commodity): $434,000 to support surveys in 13 states including Texas, Mississippi, and South Carolina.
USDA will use $14 million to rapidly respond to invasive pest emergencies should a pest of high economic consequence be found in the United States. In the past, USDA has used these funds to rapidly respond to pests such as grasshoppers, Mormon crickets, the Asian giant hornet, coconut rhinoceros beetle, exotic fruit flies, and the spotted lanternfly.
As the United States and the world recognize the International Year of Plant Health through June 2021, this funding highlights USDA’s continued commitment to safeguarding our agricultural resources for current and future generations.
Learn more about the Plant Protection Act, Section 7721 on the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) website: www.aphis.usda.gov/ppa-projects.
Photo by Clint Thompson/Shows Madeline Dowling, a Clemson student, makes a presentation about the MyIPM App.
This year’s virtual Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference ends today with hopes of returning to an in-person format in 2022.
Charles Hall, Executive Director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, believes the educational sessions that were offered over the course of the three-day event are invaluable for producers this year and moving forward in upcoming growing seasons. More importantly, those educational sessions will be available for viewing even after the conference concludes.
“One of the keys of the Southeast Regional Conference is education. We still had over 100 hours of education that is being offered. The good thing about it is that education continues until April 30. If people missed a class, they want to go back and listen to that instruction again, it’s going to be there on the (virtual) platform,” Hall said.
“People can go back if they’ve registered for the conference, or if they wanted to register after the conference. Somebody that didn’t get to be on the conference this week, they can still register and go back and have the livestreaming of those sessions.”
This week’s conference was changed to a virtual format amid COVID-19 concerns.
