A chilly December should have alleviated some concerns of Southeast fruit farmers worried about chill hours in a La Nina winter, according to Pam Knox, University of Georgia Extension Agricultural Climatologist.
“If you look at the plot of chill hours over this year, November was quite warm. I think they were running way below normal in the number of chill hours. That was a real concern for the fruit farmers,” Knox said. “But with the cold outbreaks we’ve had in December and the one we saw (over Christmas), that’s really going to bring up the chill hours. I’m sure the fruit farmers are going to be happy. You always wonder about that in a La Nina year.”
Previous Concerns
It was a concern for Edgar Vinson, assistant research professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Horticulture at Auburn University. He was worried about peach producers lagging in chill hours as he projected they only had about 172 in mid-December. But with cold outbreaks, the most recent of which came last week over the Christmas holidays, it should have increased those chill hours needed to produce a crop.
Knox said that while a La Nina weather pattern is characterized by warmer temperatures and drier conditions, cold outbreaks are not uncommon.
“The thing about La Nina is, even though the winter as a whole may be warmer than normal, we’re still going to get these cold outbreaks. This definitely is not the kind of weather we expect in a La Nina, but it goes up and down a lot in the winter,” Knox said.
“Every La Nina is different, too. Even though statistically we expect it to be warmer and drier than usual, there still are outliers. It’s possible we could have a colder winter than usual, even in a La Nina, although it would be unlikely.
“It’s winter, we expect some cold weather. It’s not surprising that we should have this cold outbreak. The weather depends on what’s going on in other parts of the world. It’s not just La Nina, it’s what is going on in the Arctic and what’s going on in the oceans. It’s part of a big puzzle and we have to try to put that together. A La Nina is certainly one factor but it’s not the only factor.”
Mexican imports still a problem for Southeast producers.
This year was a season unlike any other for produce farmers in the Southeast.
Not only did COVID-19 strike at the worst time, but lingering international trade issues with Mexico resulted in diminished market prices for producers like Tifton, Georgia farmer Bill Brim.
If something isn’t done soon, 2021 will be no different than 2020.
“We’ve been fighting Mexico since probably the last week of October through now. It’s just been one battle after another with squash prices dipping down to $3, $2, whatever you can get for it to cucumbers at $9 when it ought to be $20. Squash at $3 or $2 should be $12 or $14,” Brim said.
“It’s hard when you don’t make any money. It’s one of those things where farmers are resilient thinking, they’re going to make a million dollars next year instead of losing a million. We’re kind of stupid, I guess. We think we can outsmart them, but I don’t think we’re smart enough to do that anymore.”
Virtual Hearings
Brim and fellow farmers testified in August during virtual hearings with the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office regarding unfair trade practices with Mexico. The hearings provided the U.S. Department of Commerce and Trump Administration an opportunity to hear from growers in Georgia about the urgent need for federal action regarding unfair trade.
Federal agencies responded in September by outlining the Trump Administration’s plan to address the threat posed by increased imports. The plan included a request to the International Trade Commission to initiate a Section 201 global safeguard investigation into imports of blueberries.
In November, Georgia Congressmen requested a Section 332 Investigation on squash and cucumbers which was already being done for strawberries and bell pepper.
Cucumbers, Squash Included
On Dec. 4, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer requested that the U.S. ITC include in its investigations the import of cucumbers and squash and the effect on the domestic seasonal markets.
Hopefully, a long-term solution is in the works and will be imminent. It will not be a moment too soon.
“The last four seasons have been the toughest. We did benefit in the fall, early a little bit, so that helped us. In the spring late, in the last week of May and the first week or two of June, we did fairly well because Mexico wasn’t in. Of course, they weren’t in early on the fall deal. But as soon as they open that door, it’s like somebody just shut the lights off,” Brim said.
“Pepper undoubtedly must have been a little later in Mexico because they didn’t hit in our market until right at the tail end of it. It went from like $22 to like $14 overnight. It doesn’t seem to change. People just don’t get it.
“We’ve got to have something, or we won’t survive. I just don’t know how they can continue to think we can survive when (Mexico is) paying their people down there 81 cents an hour and we’re paying $11.77 plus free housing, free transportation and everything else. We’ve got about $15 an hour in it by the time we finish up doing everything for them.”
As vibrant holiday plants begin to adorn the shelves of hardware stores, grocery stores and garden centers, consumers are attracted to the pinks, reds and whites atop deep green foliage, which add festive pops of color in winter homes. The appearance of plants like poinsettias and Christmas cacti usher in the holiday season and we love to fill our halls and entryways with their holiday cheer. But what about after the holidays?
The Christmas cactus is made up of colorful, iridescent bracts. This true cactus, minus thorns, is native to the South American rainforest.
Most of us accept the demise of these seasonal decorations once the new year begins. But, do we have to? Here are some simple guidelines to keep your poinsettias and Christmas cacti healthy and ready to shine again next year.
Maintaining Vigor
The best way to understand how to care for these plants is knowing where they come from and understanding the conditions in which they evolved. Both poinsettias and Christmas cacti have their origins in the tropical mountains of Central and South America. Despite the common name of Christmas cactus, neither poinsettias nor Christmas cacti are adapted to arid conditions.
It is OK, even preferable, to let soils dry out somewhat before watering, but they cannot withstand long periods of dry soil. Sticking your finger an inch or two into the soil or picking up your pots to see if they are heavy or light are good, easy ways of deciding whether your plants need to be watered. Each time you water, make sure to water deeply, soaking all of the soil and making sure the excess water can run freely away from the pot, so that the soil does not stay saturated.
While poinsettias will happily take a spot by a window that gets full sun, Christmas cactus in its natural habitat lives on the trunks and branches of other plants and prefers indirect or dappled light. This might mean placing your Christmas cactus just to the side of a window or toward the middle of a room instead of right on the windowsill.
Both plants will do well in average home temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. However, avoid drastic changes in temperature, such as from a draft, a nearby door or being in the path of air from air conditioning and heating vents.
Maintaining Aesthetics
Poinsettias naturally grow as a somewhat tall and leggy shrub. In order to maintain an attractive, bushy form, cut back your poinsettia a few times during the year. In the early spring, cut your poinsettia back until about 6 inches of stem remains. Once new growth begins, you can begin fertilizing with a complete fertilizer, following the directions on the fertilizer label. Around July, remove the top of the plants, leaving four to five leaves on each stem. If the plant becomes leggy in early fall, this step can be repeated.
In order to signal color and bud production, both plants need “short day” conditions, which means 12 to 14 hours of total darkness each night. Poinsettias may require these “short days” for up to 10 weeks. This means that, beginning 10 weeks before you wish to see color, the plants will need at least 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness each night. Be aware that even a small amount of light can interrupt this process. Christmas cacti do not require as many short days, but should be grown in cooler nighttime temperatures of about 50 to 60 F to initiate bud formation. Once color begins to form on poinsettias or buds begin to form on Christmas cacti, the signaling is complete and you can leave the plants to grow in normal conditions.
Following these basic guidelines can allow you to enjoy those festive plants again next holiday season.
During the holiday season in the U.S., more than 20 million freshly cut Christmas trees are sold every year, with fir trees topping the most-desired list. Unfortunately growers cannot meet the needs of consumers, and every year, there is a shortage of trees, primarily due to the incredible losses of susceptible firs — including balsam, Fraser, Canaan and others — to the root fungus Phytophthora.
UGA CAES photo/Momi fir has proven itself over the last 25 years as the only known fir species resistant to Phytophthora root disease and could make a good Christmas tree, ornamental and timber species.
This affects consumers in Georgia and other Southeastern states, as more than 50% of the region’s fresh-cut trees are imported. Georgia growers offer Leyland cypress (x Cupressocyparis lelandii), Arizona cypress (Cypessus arizonica), red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) and Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana). But in recent years the demand for fir trees has continued to rise. With this knowledge, research has progressed to develop a fir tree suitable for growing in the Southeastern U.S.
In the early 1990s, attempts were made to introduce the Momi fir (Abies firma), a heat-tolerant fir that can grow in the Southeast. The Momi fir has proven itself over the past 25 years as the only known fir species resistant to Phytophthora root disease, making it a good Christmas tree and ornamental or timber species.
Because of the more desirable Christmas tree characteristics of Fraser fir, many growers In North Carolina have been grafting Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) scion — or shoot — wood to Momi fir rootstock. This enables a grower to grow a Fraser fir that is on Momi fir rootstock in Phytophthora-infested soils. Although grafting can be used to provide a solution to this situation, it can also be problematic. Grafting is very labor intensive, with the central-leader scion wood being difficult to attain, and success in the process can be elusive. Many have attempted to grow the Momi fir as a standalone Christmas tree species, but the process requires selecting for desirable Christmas tree characteristics.
Unfortunately, it is difficult both to acquire Momi fir seed and germinate it, so growers needed a more reliable source of the species. In 2017, with a grant provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, research began to rescue embryos from Momi firs growing in Georgia. Embryos rescued from these trees could be cultured to produce hundreds of thousands of seedlings in less than six months if this propagation system could be developed. In mid-2019, a research team led by horticulture Associate Professor Mark Czarnota at the University of Georgia Griffin Campus created embryonic callus (a growing mass of plant cells) from rescued embryos of Momi firs growing in Georgia. In the near future, thousands of Momi fir seedlings could be made available to growers for rootstock and standalone Momi firs.
There are several characteristics of the Momi fir that make it undesirable as a Christmas tree, including picky foliage, an off-green color and the lack of a center leader. However, if the Momi fir could be crossed with other firs such as Fraser (Abies fraseri), balsam (Abies balsamea), Canaan (Abies balsamea var. phanerolepis), Nordman (Abies nordmanniana), Turkish (Abies bornmuelleriana) or the Guatemalan fir (Abies guatemalensis), hybrid embryos could be rescued, cultured into embryos and matured into seedlings. If a hybrid could be developed, it could provide an endless supply of a Phytophthora-resistant hybrid fir trees for the Christmas tree, ornamental and forestry industry in Georgia and the Southeast. This could open up fantastic financial opportunities for all of these industries in the region.
In order to create these hybrid firs, Momi fir trees growing in Athens, Griffin and Terrytown, Georgia, will be observed for female cone development. Once immature female cones (seed cones) are observed, they will be covered with pollen bags to prevent them from being pollinated by other Momi firs. When male cones are observed releasing pollen on Momi firs, covered female cones should be receptive and would be pollinated with pollen of Fraser or other desirable fir trees. When mature embryos are observed, hybrid cone embryos will be harvested and cultured to produce embryos and eventually seedlings. With any luck, these hybrids will be resistant to Phytophthora, forever changing our ability to grow firs in the Southeast.
For a current list of Georgia Christmas tree growers, visit the Georgia Christmas Tree Association website at gacta.com.
Risks come with any crop farmers attempt to produce in the Southeast. Between diseases, pests, input costs, unpredictable weather and instability in the marketplace, producing a crop and making a profit is not a guarantee.
Hemp production is no different. Producers need to do the appropriate research before planting their crop next spring. This is especially important since hemp is a newer crop that is trying to find its footing.
Adam Rabinowitz, Assistant Professor and Extension Economist at Auburn University, implores interested producers to do their homework. They need to know who they are contracting with before seeds are planted.
“It is important that if you are going to get involved in hemp production that you not just understand the production risks involved, how difficult it is to grow and the labor needed to grow in this region but make sure that you’re contracting with a reputable company for the inputs,” Rabinowitz said.
“Whether it be for your seed or your transplants but also for your finished product, most of that product in this area is going to CBD oil; for that oil production, you need to have a reputable company. We know where there have been contracts where even though a contract existed, processors have gone out of business or just didn’t honor it. That is a concern making sure you know who you’re dealing with.”
Applications for new Georgia Hemp Grower Licenses and Hemp Processor Permits will be accepted beginning in January, 2021. Hemp applications and registrations are closed for Alabama.
NOAA graphic shows rainfall for Southeast on Thursday.
Heavy rainfall is expected in the southern and eastern parts of the country on Christmas Eve. Stephanie Ho has the report with USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey.
The University of Georgia wants feedback from producers impacted by COVID-19. Growers have until Dec. 23 to fill out a survey that will help industry leaders gauge the impact the pandemic has had on Georgia’s agricultural sector.
The survey covers various facets of farming operations that have been altered since the pandemic began in mid-March. This includes commodity prices, disposal or loss of products on the farm, lack of markets, access to working capital, farm labor and international trade.
Another Survey Needed
McCann
Mark McCann, assistant dean for UGA Extension, said an earlier survey was conducted in May after the initial outbreak.
Another one is needed so experts can grasp the total impact the pandemic has had on the state’s No. 1 industry.
“As we’re looking to close the calendar year for 2020, thank goodness, we’d like to look at it from a longer perspective than we did the first survey. A couple of other key things that have happened since the first survey when we inquired of farmers is that the COVID Food Assistance Program (CFAP) 1 and 2 have both come out from FSA (Farm Service Agency),” McCann said. “That’s one of the questions we’ve asked producers in the survey is which federal assistance have they participated in. That was one of the things that got a lot of people’s attention in the first survey is most farmers had not really participated in many programs.
“I’m really very curious to see how many have taken advantage of the CFAP programs.”
The Georgia Foundation for Agriculture, Georgia Farm Bureau, Georgia Department of Agriculture and UGA Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development are jointly sponsoring the survey. Organizers will use the data to document the needs of the agriculture industryand share the summary at the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ 2021 Georgia Ag Forecast, which will be held online Friday, Jan. 29.
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
It is likely the coronavirus pandemic will be a threat for most of the country next year, even as vaccines have begun to be administered. Vegetable and specialty crop producers are encouraged to be prepared when planning for next season’s harvest, specifically for how to keep their H-2A workers healthy.
Allison Crittenden, Director of Congressional Relations at the American Farm Bureau Federation, says the time is now to make those preparations.
“I think now that employers and farmers realize what steps they need to be taking to provide a safe workplace that hopefully mitigates the spread of the COVID. It’s the last thing anybody wants is an outbreak on their operation. I think if I were a grower going into my next season I would certainly be trying to stock up on masks and sanitizer; taking this time in the offseason to come up with a plan,” Crittenden said.
Knowing What to Expect
Farmers at least now know what to expect. It is a much different feeling than last spring when producers had to adjust on the go to keep their workforce healthy.
“I think when we all first heard about the pandemic, we thought this might be a short-term thing, but I think what we’ve learned is that it’s very long-term and likely will have long-term impacts on how businesses operate moving forward,” Crittenden said.
“I think I would take this time to learn from last season and the quick adaptations that growers had to put in place and use this time to plan accordingly, knowing that we’re still not out of the woods.”
Abnormally dry weather conditions for Southeast Georgia have benefited Vidalia onion farmers who are trying to plant this year’s crop, says Chris Tyson, University of Georgia Extension Area Onion Agent at the Vidalia Onion & Vegetable Research Center in Lyons, Georgia.
“Most growers are completely finished or they’re finishing up within this week or shortly thereafter. That’s a good thing that we’re not dragging on into January like we do some years when we have weather delays,” Tyson said.
“We’re not always done by this time every year. Some years if it’s wet or we’re getting rains, it just delays us and goes on into Christmas or past Christmas and even into January on some years.”
Benefit to Planting Being Done
Since producers did not experience weather delays during planting and able to finish on time or earlier in some instances, they now can focus on applying fertilizer and fungicide sprays.
This also benefits them with regards to their H-2A labor.
“If they use H-2A labor, they have a contract with them to finish by a certain time, so they have all of that arranged before they ever come as far as their dates of when they’re going to work. If they have to work them longer, they have to do some renegotiation there with H-2A contract. They want them to get finished by that time so everything will work out with their H-2A labor,” Tyson said.
Drought Monitor
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, much of central and southeast Georgia are classified as ‘D0’ or abnormally dry. While the dry conditions were favorable for planting, they are not ideal for production. Much of the state received rainfall on Wednesday. But more is needed to produce a substantial crop.
“For the most part we’ve had pretty good weather as far as planting onions. Now that we’re getting a little bit of rain, most people need it and want it at this point,” Tyson said.
According to the USDA Market News Service, Georgia pecan producers are about 90% finished with harvesting this year’s crop, while prices have improved some since last week.
Amid the lack of export opportunities, many growers are continuing to store their top quality and larger sized pecans in hopes of selling for better prices at a later date. Holiday retail and domestic sales have improved as buyers from other areas have actively pursued Georgia pecans.
Prices paid to growers (late afternoon Tuesday, December 8, 2020 through late afternoon
Tuesday, December 15, 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.
Cape Fear (deliveries light) meat yield 52-53%, 129-140
Creek (deliveries very light) meat yield 53-54%, 121-129
