AgNet DEMO

Category: Georgia

  • Georgia Vegetable Growers Should Prepare Now for Harvesting

    By Andre Luiz Biscaia Ribeiro da Silva for UGA CAES News

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

    As we approach the harvest season for watermelon, bell pepper, tomato, yellow squash, zucchini, cucumber, sweet corn and other crops, Georgia vegetable growers can move ahead and prepare seasonal workers to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 during harvest time.

    According to the National Watermelon Association, there was an increase in the incidence of COVID-19 among seasonal workers in the watermelon industry of north Florida during harvest, and positive coronavirus tests were reported in 75% of seasonal workers. That means that 3 of every 4 workers tested were positive for COVID-19.

    Florida is a few weeks ahead of the Georgia watermelon industry for harvesting, and similar numbers can be expected in our state if agricultural operations don’t take action. Prepare for the possible transmission of coronavirus on your farm, packinghouse or other agricultural operation by stocking proper personal protective gear, instituting social distancing measures, and protecting the health of your employees, workers and customers.

    Regardless of the crop and how long or short the season may be, growers can do their part and University of Georgia Cooperative Extension is here to help. Below is a list of actions recommended by the National Watermelon Association:

    • Require all workers and employees to wear masks. There can be no exceptions outside of ADA restrictions.
    • Explain to workers that it’s in their best interest to take precautionary steps.
    • Put social distancing practices in place on the farm, in the sheds and in H-2A housing as much as possible.
    • Require workers and employees to regularly wash their hands and use hand sanitizers, if available.
    • Limit ridership on buses to allow for social distancing, and keep teams of workers together.
    • Sanitize buses and living spaces (H-2A housing) regularly. 
    • Pre-screen workers with temperature checks daily before work begins.
    • Ask workers to help with reporting. Encourage them to speak up if they see that others have symptoms.
    • Provide separate housing to quarantine workers who test positive. 

    For more resources on COVID-19 from UGA Extension, visit extension.uga.edu/emergencies. Contact your local Extension office by calling 1-800-ASK-UGA1.

  • Pecan Tree Dieback Scary But Normal For Growers

    UGA Extension photo/Shows leaf scorching on a pecan tree.

    By Clint Thompson

    Leaf scorching and dieback on some young pecan trees is common this year with high temperatures, according to Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pecan specialist. But Wells assures growers the problem can be corrected.

    “We see that this time of year pretty much every year; young trees where they’re growing so fast that the root system can’t keep up with what the top is trying to produce. This time of year, it turns off hot and soil temperatures warm up some,” Wells said. “Water demand goes up and those young trees with the root system not fully developed yet have a hard time keeping up. They tend to grow out of it. It’s a scary thing for growers to see. But they do tend to grow out of it fine.

    “Anytime you have a tree like that, that’s struggling and you start seeing some shoots dying back and stuff like that, it’s a sign that’s something’s going on in the root system. If you prune back some of that top and bring the top of that tree back more in line with what the root system can support, that usually is a big help to it.”

    Wells cautions growers to maintain consistent soil moisture or apply water every other day. The longer irrigation is applied, the deeper the water runs. This allows the root system to develop deeper through the soil profile. This also prevents the soil from getting too hot. Soil temperatures that exceed 95 degrees F inhibit root growth.

    In the UGA Extension pecan blog, Wells also said that growers will get more vigor and healthy first-year growth if they plant before March.

  • So Far So Good For Peach Worker Safety

    By Clint Thompson

    Georgia peach workers are staying safe and nobody has been stricken from the coronavirus pandemic yet, says Jeff Cook, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources agent for Peach and Taylor counties.

    “Nobody’s having any real hiccups with this virus. I guess everybody’s staying far enough away from each other to be safe,” Cook said.

    Workers are essential in harvesting Georgia peaches.

    Cook said all the precautions and safety guidelines that are already in place jive with the safety practices that are necessary with the current coronavirus pandemic.

    “In the packing sheds and in the close proximity, all of the ladies and gentlemen, they’re all wearing masks. They started wearing gloves in the past anyway packing, just for food safety sake. All of their food safety side of stuff, it just translates over to public safety, too.

    “Every day, at the end of the day, they clean the packing shed and then they disinfect it. Then they come back in the morning and do the same thing in the morning. They’ve all got stores, and all have got retail space where they sell products. They’ve got all of the regular signage up.”

    Cook said in April that farmers are trying to keep their peach crews a little more separated this year. Farmers limit the workers to the amount of time they’re exposed to other people that are not part of their specific crew.

    It would be extremely challenging if a worker got sick from COVID-19.

    “If they lost one guy on a crew or had one with it, they’d probably have to lose that crew for at least a two-week quarantine period,” Cook said.

  • Frustrated Florida Farmer Voices Mexican Imports Concerns

    By Clint Thompson

    COVID-19 was a challenge of pandemic proportions for farmers this spring. Adding insult to injury were the influx of Mexican produce that undercut American producers trying to sell their own product.

    Florida vegetable farmer Sam Accursio has a potential solution.

    Squash is a heavily imported commodity from Mexico.

    “The only solution I know is to vote, get the people that are like-minded and want to support our nation in office. That’s all we can do. I don’t have any other solution besides that at the moment. We have to keep lobbying,” Accursio said. “Growers, we’re very unique people. We work 100 hours per week, and that’s our problem. We’re working when all of these problems arise, and we don’t have time to go to Washington and sit down with these politicians. We have to talk to them one by one when they’re in our area coming around to us.”

    Tough Spring

    It was especially tough for Accursio this spring. Like other farmers in Florida, Accursio lost produce when the coronavirus pandemic struck in mid-March. In early April, he voiced frustrations about the impact of Mexican imports were having on American farms. He remains frustrated.

    “While we were dumping and stopping harvest, I was monitoring what they were shipping in the way of squash per day. It was 2 to 3 million pounds per day, closer to 2.7 to 3 million pounds per day coming across the Mexican-U.S. border of squashes, while I’m stopping harvest; harvesting and throwing on the ground; harvesting and sending to Farm Share,” Accursio said. “The cooler’s empty and we crank back up again. It was a trying time. Then to see Mexico still importing into our nation just seemed so wrong.”

    Things could potentially get worse as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement is set to enter into force on July 1.

    “While we are in season, we need some sort of protection. Right now they’re in the talking phases again. Hopefully, we’re going to have enough influence to make some changes,” Accursio said.

    According to the Florida Farm Bureau, Florida’s specialty crop producers will continue to experience loss of market share due to high volumes of dumped Mexican produce. Ag Commissioner Nikki Fried voiced her concerns, as did U.S. Secretary of Ag Sonny Perdue.

    Accursio encourages consumers to continue supporting American farmers. He can’t fathom the alternative.

    “If you take Florida and California away in the winter, what do you have? You have third-world countries feeding this great nation and I’m not going to eat it. I’m not going to do it,” Accursio said.

  • Pecan Industry Seeks to Establish a Research and Promotion Program

    georgia pecans
    File photo shows shelled pecans and those still in shells.

    USDA Agricultural Marketing Service

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) received a proposal from the National Pecan Federation (NPF) requesting the establishment of a research and promotion program to strengthen the position of pecans in the marketplace, maintain and expand markets for pecans and develop new uses for pecans.

    USDA is currently analyzing the proposal. If USDA finds the request justified, the department will publish in the Federal Register a proposed rule with a public comment period seeking input from the industry and interested stakeholders. A copy of the NPF proposal can be found here.

    The proposed program would be established under the Commodity Promotion, Research and Information Act of 1996 and would be financed by an assessment on domestic producers and importers of pecans and administered by a board of industry members nominated by the industry and selected by the Secretary of Agriculture.

    The proposal by the NPF calls for an initial assessment rate of two cents per pound of inshell and four cents per pound of shelled domestic and imported pecans. Handlers would collect assessments from producers based on the pounds of pecans received and importers would pay assessments on pecans when they enter the U.S. for consumption. Domestic producers and importers of less than 50,000 pounds of inshell pecans (25,000 pounds of shelled pecans) on average for four fiscal periods would be exempt from paying assessments.

    NPF proposed that the board consist of 17 members to include producers representing different pecan-producing regions within the United States and importers of pecans.

  • Sweet Market for Melon Farmers

    UGA file photo/Shows watermelons being researched on the UGA Tifton Campus. 6–6-17

    By Clint Thompson

    Watermelon prices are holding strong for Southeast farmers, according to one South Georgia producer. Terrell Rutland believes extenuating circumstances could help extend the strong market, currently at 20 cents per pound, for growers an extra few weeks.

    “Anything north got frost bit about the first of May. Florida is through so that kind of puts us in the driver’s seat right now,” said Terrell Rutland, who grows 50 acres in Tift County, Georgia and Cook County, Georgia. “Every year, the very first people to pick in Georgia might get 20 cents, but generally, the majority of the crop is sold around 15 cents. It’s good in that respect.”

    It’s especially good for Southeast farmers since it appears their melons are the only game in town right now.

     “(The Carolinas and the Midwest) always plant three or four weeks behind us but this year they planted, go two or three weeks and the frost killed them, and they planted again. That threw them another three weeks behind. I really wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t get some imported melons to catch some slack up,” said Rutland.

    He began harvesting this year on June 4, the earliest he’s ever started.

    “When they put on, they grew. They made melons quick. It was kind of shocking, I’ve never had none to grow off that quick. About half of mine, I do put on bare ground and I put about half of them on plastic. The bare ground melons are not ready yet. The cold really affected them a lot worse than it did the ones that were on raised plastic,” Rutland said.

    Rutland expects to harvest three days per week through July 4.

    Decrease in Acreage

    Acreage is down in Georgia this year. According to Samantha Kilgore, executive director of the Georgia Watermelon Association, acreage is projected to decrease this year to 19,000 acres. It would mark a significant drop from previous years’ harvests.  According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, from 2016-2018, Georgia averaged a harvest of just more than 23,000 acres.

    Rutland already projects additional acres next year, however.

    “It’ll probably be many folks who want to grow watermelons next year where you can’t sell them for a dime a pound. It’s the way that usually works,” Rutland said.

  • Extension’s Mobile Farmers Markets Rolling Again in Metro Atlanta

    Fulton County Extension staff and volunteers prepare to distribute produce bags through curbside pickup at a Fulton Fresh mobile market stop in Atlanta. (Photo by Molly Woo)

    By Josh Paine for UGA CAES News

    Mobile farmers markets are rolling again in metro Atlanta to continue serving fresh produce and delivering nutrition education to communities through curbside pickups and digital content.

    University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agents and staff have modified the markets to reduce contact, loading mixed bags of produce like corn, onions, squash, potatoes, tomatoes and various fruit right into vehicles for citizens in Fulton and DeKalb counties to reach areas where fresh food can be hard to find or cost-prohibitive for some families.  

    The Fulton Fresh mobile market runs from now until July 9 and again from July 14 to August 13. The new van, furnished by the county government, will make six stops a week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays throughout the county.

    The Fresh On DeK mobile farmers market will be held from now until September 18 and will make eight stops per week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

    Both markets are open to the public, but preregistration online is preferred to assist with contactless pickup. Onsite registration is available for Fulton Fresh for citizens who are unable to register online.

    In addition to produce, the markets provide recipe cards and information about online Extension resources to educate consumers about healthy preparation methods and lifestyles.

    “The organizations we partner with are always excited to see us,” said Laurie Murrah-Hanson, a 4-H agent in Fulton County. “In the past, people really enjoyed the food demonstrations, and we still wanted to offer similar resources.”

    Fulton Fresh, which began in 2012, started a dedicated, grant-funded Kids Market program this year to disseminate smaller bags of produce with recipes and at-home science experiments for youth. Videos of farm tours will be released on social media weekly in conjunction with the mobile market.

    UGA Extension staff have also partnered with the Fulton County Library System to provide digital resource lists for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

    “I think stronger partnerships like this are going be a benefit that comes out of the current situation,” said Murrah-Hanson, who is coordinating the Kids Market.

    Fresh on DeK, now in its sixth year of operation, has made updates to the market in sourcing and delivery by switching to a free pickup system rather than a walk-up, fee-based model.

    “This year, we’re also partnering with a nonprofit called Global Growers to source culturally relevant food for our Clarkston community, which is one of the most diverse parts of the county,” Jamille Hawkins, a Family and Consumer Sciences agent and coordinator of the market.  

    The mobile markets are an office-wide endeavor across Extension program areas, and support for the programs comes from county governments. Fresh on DeK was made possible with additional funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the DeKalb County Board of Health.

    For more information about Fulton Fresh and to preregister, visit extension.uga.edu/county-offices/fulton/fulton-fresh and follow on Facebook at facebook.com/UGAExtensionFultonCounty.

    Connect with Fresh on Dek by visiting extension.uga.edu/county-offices/dekalb/fresh-on-dek, following on Facebook at facebook.com/FreshonDeK or calling 404-298-4080.  

  • USDA Trade Mitigation Purchases to Feed People in Need and Aid American Farmers Surpass $2B

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that it has purchased more than $2.2 billion of meat, fruits, vegetables, specialty crops and dairy products in fiscal years 2019 and 2020 in its ongoing efforts to feed people in need and assist American farmers and ranchers suffering from damage due to unjustified trade retaliation by foreign nations.

    Perdue

    USDA is on target to reach its fiscal year goal of about $1.4 billion of trade mitigation purchases in the next phase of fiscal year purchasing, which ends Sept. 30. The purchases were made through the Food Purchase and Distribution Program (FDPD), one of USDA’s three programs in its Support Packages for Farmers. Most of the food purchased is provided to states for distribution to nutrition assistance programs such as The Emergency Food Assistance Program and child nutrition programs.

    “Over the past two years, USDA has issued more than $2 billion in payments to American farmers, ranchers and producers for U.S.-grown food that is used to help Americans in need,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. “Early on, President Trump instructed USDA to make sure our farmers did not bear the brunt of unfair retailiatory tariffs. Our farmers work hard and the most productive in the world, and we crafted the FPDP to help protect them. The FPDP represents just one of the many ways USDA is working hard to fulfill its mission to do right and feed everyone.”

  • Georgia Farmers Want Additional Commodities added to CFAP

    By Clint Thompson

    The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) excludes 90% of Georgia’s specialty crop growers with its timeline restrictions of January 1 to April 15. Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Association Executive Director Charles Hall hopes additional commodities added to the list covered under CFAP will aid Georgia growers.

    Kale is one of the commodities that Georgia farmers want added to CFAP.

    “We are looking at commodities in Georgia that didn’t get into the commodity list,” Hall said. “We’re trying to determine what data we need to provide to USDA to get those listed. Primarily, it is within the greens area; kale, mustard, collards, turnips, and we’ve got a couple of growers we found that had some specialty lettuce for the Atlanta restaurant market. We’re looking at those commodities, too.”

    CFAP Background

    CFAP applications will be accepted through Aug. 28. There is a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) where stakeholders and producers of other commodities can submit information and data for consideration to be included in the program. These must be submitted by June 22. This is specifically for data on any commodity not currently eligible for CFAP.

    CFAP will benefit mostly Florida farmers who have had to overcome produce loss and low market prices as a result of the coronavirus pandemic striking the U.S. in mid-March.

    In a previous VSCNews story, Hall was hopeful that Congress would pass another stimulus package and that his growers would be sufficiently covered. It would provide a boost to farmers as the economy tries to recover from the current recession.

    “The bill that passed the House would cover Georgia specialty crop growers because it covered the first two quarters of the year. Most of our growers’ harvest will be through the end of June. That will be helpful from that standpoint,” Hall said.

  • UGA Pecan Team Emphasizes Scab Disease Management

    By Clint Thompson

    The University of Georgia (UGA) pecan team is emphasizing scab disease management, since June and July are critical times for disease control.

    UGA picture/Scab disease does not usually kill trees, but it can greatly reduce yields. The fungal pathogen that causes scab overwinters in the tree as lesions on stems and old nut shucks that remain in the tree after harvest. When temperatures begin to warm in the spring, the fungus becomes active and starts to produce new spores that are spread by rain and wind.

    According to UGA Extension pecan blog, plant pathologist Jason Brock’s recommendations are based on Extension plant pathologist Tim Brenneman’s research regarding scab disease:

    With Desirable or any variety with similar scab susceptibility, a rotation of Elast/Tin with Miravis Top is the strongest option. You could use consecutive applications of either, but keep in mind Miravis Top use restrictions include a 14-day minimum application interval and a maximum of 4 applications per year. In most cases, half rates for Elast/Tin are suitable. Research trials have shown that increasing the rate of Elast to 37 fl. oz. while mixed with Tin can provide better scab control, but only when disease pressure is high. Unless we get into a rainy summer, the half rates are the better option.

    Cultivars with relatively low scab susceptibility provide more options for fungicide selection. In addition to Miravis Top, Elast and Tin (either in a mix or used stand-alone), other fungicides are suitable for these cultivars. Another tank mix combination that has provided good nut scab control is a Group 3 (DMI) + Group 11 (strobilurin). This combination is available in a number of premixed products. A newer option that we have recommended is a 3-quart rate of a phosphite. While the phosphites’ strength is in foliar disease control, a high rate application is suitable for nut scab control of certain cultivars with low scab susceptibility.

    Aside from fungicide selection, important factors in scab control will be timely applications and good coverage. Pay close to attention to rain forecast and try to stay ahead of scab development; however, do not sacrifice good coverage by traveling too fast or trying to spray when weather conditions are detrimental to good coverage. Always remember to rotate chemistries regularly to manage fungicide resistance.

    Light Scab Disease

    In a previous VSCNews story, UGA Extension pecan specialist Lenny Wells said scab disease is currently light, but there has been “scabby weather” recently. The rainy weather because of Tropical Storm Cristobal last week could be a reason scab disease incidences begin to spike.  Wells said it usually takes a couple of weeks before growers start seeing scab because of excess rainfall.

    Scab is a fungal disease that infects the leaves or nuts of pecan trees. If it hits the nut early enough, scab can cause the pecan to blacken and fall from the tree. Some growers spray between 10 and 12 times during an average year to fight scab, Wells said. Scab thrives on trees that have received moisture. That is why a quick rain event is important and not prolonged rainy weather of several days in a row.