South Carolina’s muscadine harvest season is still five months away, but the crop looks ripe for a productive season. That optimistic outlook comes from Bruce McLean, Jr., a Clemson (S.C.) Extension area commercial horticulture agent for Dillon County, Horry County, Marion County and Malboro County.
“I’ve been out a few times, walking vineyards and really looking at them. A lot of the muscadines in my area are more juice and wine type of muscadines, the Carlos or Noble type of varieties or Doreen. Those are looking really, really good,” McLean said. “They’re really just budding out now, just producing floral buds. They’ve been leafed down for a couple of weeks now. So far, they look really nice.”
McLean said this time of year is designed to help farmers capitalize on their fertility programs. He works with a lot of them 1-on-1 to see what tweaks can be made to their spray programs as well.
He estimates that there are approximately 100 acres of muscadine vineyards that are produced in South Carolina. These vineyards are mostly 15 to 20-acre vineyards.
“It’s definitely something that a lot of growers are wanting to be expand out on,” he added. “We’re also trying to help find them markets. And maybe looking at fresh markets to complement as far as the juice and wine market as well.”
Muscadine harvest in South Carolina is generally reserved for September.
“It’s still mighty early. Anything can happen. Right now, we’re just looking at spray programs to really protect the crop as much as possible and maximize yields,” McLean said.
Fresh fruit and vegetables on sale at a farmers market in this file photo.
By Clint Thompson
N.C. State Extension Vegetable Production Specialist Chris Gunter believes non-traditional marketing outlets are still viable options. They provide opportunities for small-scale fruit and vegetable farmers to capitalize on amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Outlets like farm-to-customer delivery and farmers markets are still available for those producers. Gunter believes the demand is still high.
“People aren’t as able to get to traditional retail outlets like grocery stores and the normal supply line is backing up. There’s excess produce because demand is down,” Gunter said. “But if you are innovative and you have outlets that are non-traditional or can shift from traditional outlets to new outlets, the demand is high. These non-traditional markets are seeing an increase in demand because people still want that fresh produce. It’s just less available at their traditional retail outlets.”
Many people avoid traveling to retail grocery stores for concern over their own health. If they buy directly from farmers or have the grower deliver directly to their door, it is more convenient. And it is now a more popular option. Individually boxed fruit is a growing alternative for consumers.
“Places like the Produce Box here in Raleigh, (North Carolina) which has a way to aggregate produce from growers all over and make its own custom boxes for those customers, they’re seeing lots and lots of increase in demand,” Gunter said.
This option is not suited for all growers. Because of restaurants and schools closing for fear of spreading the disease, large-scale farmers have been most impacted the most, especially in Florida. Gunter said a large-scale grower would overwhelm these non-traditional outlets with produce. Also, consumers don’t want just one type of fruit or vegetable.
“For the large, wholesale growers, they’re not tapping into that market usually because their volume is so high,” Gunter said. “They’re used to delivering to distribution centers or direct to a retail outlet.
“(Also) customers still want a mix of fruits and vegetables. Having (just) a box full of squash doesn’t really work for the consumer.”
However, traditional outlets will need to be restored. Non-traditional outlets are not sustainable.
“Supply lines are going to have to become re-established in order to supply people once these immediate lockdown precautions are lifted. I think you’ll see people start to go back to traditional retail markets,” Gunter said.
Pecan trees will not be impacted by recent cold snaps.
By Clint Thompson
Recent cold temperatures will not have any impact on the development of this year’s pecan crop, says Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pecan specialist.
Wells estimates that pecan farmers saw budbreak at least two weeks early this year. With that early budbreak back in March, temperatures were still warm. Pecan trees put their foliage on from the bottom of the tree up. All that early foliage that came out on the bottom part of the tree and started growing well. Then rains and cold fronts came soon after.
“We had some cooler temperatures and some nights down in the low 40s, which is nowhere near anything that would hurt us. But it did slow this growth down, especially the buds that were breaking in the top of the tree. That has slowed the growth in the top of the trees a little bit,” Wells said. “When you look at some trees from a distance, it looks like the bottom leafed out good, but the top is real thin. That’s just because those little cool snaps we had slowed things down. I don’t think it’s going to be an issue.”
He reassured pecan producers in his blog that as temperatures and the soil warm up, the problem will correct itself.
However, cool soil temperatures can lead to Zinc and Boron deficiencies. The trees can’t take these nutrients up from the soil as easily when soil temperatures drop. So, Wells advises growers to stay up to date with their foliar sprays.
“Every spring, your soil temperatures warm up a little slower than the air temps do. Spring is the critical time for the tree to get that zinc and boron. When those soil temperatures are cool, they’re not able to take it up there well from the soil,” Wells said. “That’s why we usually will put on Zinc and Boron foliar sprays early in the season. Regardless of what your soil levels are, we do it for that reason because they can’t pick it up from the soil early in the season when they need it the most.”
Symptoms of such temporary deficiencies include bare limbs, small, yellow leaves, rosette and mouse ear.
To see how Wells is confident in this year’s pecan crop, see vscnews.com.
A tour of the research vineyard at the Clanton Research and Extension Center in Chilton County at the Alabama WIneries and Grape Growers Association meeting in September 2019. Grapes are grown by Elina Coneva and the staff at the CREC. Grape varieties are developed by Dr. Andy Walker, a grape breeder at UC Davis.
By Clint Thompson
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Fruit Disease Specialist Phil Brannen believes grape producers can better protect their crop against powdery mildew disease and preserve essential fungicides with sulfur applications.
Brannen believes sulfur is a viable alternative that growers need to utilize, especially since resistance has developed in two different classes of chemicals. Those classes are the quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) class and the demethylation inhibitor (DMI) class. Growers risk disease resistance developing in the succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (SDHI) class of fungicides as well.
“That’s one reason I’m encouraging people to incorporate more sulfur in their programs. It’s just to try to take less pressure off this one remaining chemical that works really well. We can save it for the more critical time we need a really active powdery mildew material,” Brannen said.
He said growers need to be smart when applying sulfur and be mindful of its ability to burn the plants.
“The main issue we have with it is not to humans or the environment, it’s actually to the plant itself,” Brannen said. “If you put out sulfur on a really hot day, especially if there’s a lot of high humidity or the foliage is wet, it will burn the grapes severely. It can actually cause significant damage to the plant itself. That’s one reason people have avoided using it on vinifora grapes.”
Brannen recommends that producers apply sulfur either later in the evening or at night when temperatures are lower. That’s when there’s little risk to the plant.
But growers should also be mindful of sulfur’s harmful potential to themselves.
“It’s not dangerous in the sense that it won’t kill you. You do have to realize it will burn your eyes. You go into a vineyard and if you’re doing tying operations and things like that, and if you spray sulfur and rub your eyes, your eyes are going to burn,” Brannen said. “It’s not going to put your eye out. But it’s going to be something that you have to be aware of. It’s not as user friendly as some of these other materials.”
Powdery mildew’s impact
Powdery mildew disease is problematic for grape producers because of its ability to infect almost any part of the plant. It can cause leaves to desiccate, become dry and fall off.
The major concern is when powdery mildew infects the fruit itself. A limited amount on fruit will not allow sugars to come up to the fruit. If there’s no sugars in the berries, it leads to an inability to make good wine.
“It essentially renders the fruit into something you can not use. You can’t allow powdery mildew on the fruit at all,” Brannen said.
The BeSure! program, brought to you by the Growing Matters Coalition, is reminding growers about the importance of following product usage directions. Syngenta’s Garrett Gilcrease said labels are living documents that can be updated regularly. As producers and applicators plan for spring foliar applications, he reminds the industry to check product labels and adhere to the guidelines for all-around safety and good stewardship.
South Carolina is the country’s No. 2 producer of peaches.
The current coronavirus pandemic has impacted fruit and vegetable farmers across the Southeast. South Carolina producers may be better equipped to deal with the current crisis based off who their normal clientele is.
“I think everyone here is looking at Florida and is not liking what we see down there but hoping that our situation is a little bit different,” said Eva Moore, communications director at the South Carolina Department of Agriculture. “A lot of our market for our produce is in-state or neighboring states. Whereas I think Florida took a big hit with the tourism industry going away and that sort of thing. We’re in constant communication with our growers, just keeping an eye on things.”
South Carolina thrives heavily on agriculture as a source of revenue for the state. Moore said there are 4.7 million acres farmed and 25,000 farms. Peaches are the state’s No. 1 fruit. Moore said there were approximately 17,500 acres of peaches in 2017, amounting to $18 million in production.
Andy Rollins, Clemson Extension agent says the state’s peach crop appears ripe for a productive season this year, pending how the market spirals over the next few months.
Also, in 2017, there were about 2,800 acres of tomatoes, earning $34 million in production. Watermelon acreage totaled 4,900 with a value of $26 million.
With U.S. watermelon production ramping up, now more than ever promotional positioning and marketing efforts matter
Winter Springs, FL — April 21, 2020 — The National Watermelon Promotion Board (NWPB) is realigning resources to adapt to the new climate, continuing to adjust marketing and promotional efforts to positively position watermelon as the go-to for health and happiness while making the most out of precious shoppers’ dollars.
“Watermelon holds a special place with consumers, and it’s so much more than a sweet treat for summertime,” says Jesse Wiggins of Wiggins Farms, Texas, and current president of the NWPB. “Watermelon provides important basic health benefits like hydration at 92% water. It’s an excellent source of Vitamin C.”
Customers are looking for health, value and versatility all in one package.
“It’s the best value among fruit to stretch families’ budgets at only $0.17 per serving. Furthering the value position for watermelon is that it is 100% edible, so there is zero food waste, and so versatile to use in many recipes or in delicious slices,” Wiggins added.
The NWPB has pivoted from planned marketing activities to those more conducive to the current landscape.
“While every audience is impacted, NWPB is working hard to continue to educate about those important health benefits, the terrific value for families of buying a whole watermelon, and how to use that one watermelon in various ways,” says Wiggins. “The opportunities for watermelon in the shopping basket, whether whole, mini, fresh cut or juice, are endless.”
The following are adjusted activity highlights listed by division:
Communications
· Special flight of YouTube television commercial – April through June flight of National YouTube television commercial highlighting watermelon’s health benefits and showing watermelon value and versatility
· Amplify hydration and vitamin C health benefits and at-home usage in social media post calendar
· Partner promos on Instagram Live with #WatermelonWednesday Home Workout and Watermelon Beverage Recipes
· “Kid-Friendly Creativity in the Kitchen” national paid feature syndication
· Jump with Jill “digital” live tour reaching virtual students and teachers with lessons, video content, P.E. classes and more
· Master class media event for press and editors goes virtual in July
Foodservice
· Digital outreach and in-office deliveries to inspire Foodservice media with watermelon
· Foodservice refocus to support takeout and delivery opportunities
· Reaching culinarians and culinary educators with digital Watermelon Culinary Curriculum
Retail & International Marketing
· Actively distributing Retail Kit and advertorial released April 8
· Ibotta redemption offer planned for early summer
· Shoppable recipe activation with Fexy Media in development
· Independent grocer outreach via Live. Balanced activation kit
· Retail and international account management teams at the ready In these unprecedented times, watermelon provides a solution to consumers’ needs to feed their families nutritious meals and snacks. It is a smart value with zero food waste and is tremendously versatile in recipes and even provides hands-on activities and crafts for the at-home world. For more information and to explore the resources available to retailers, foodservice and consumer audiences, visit Watermelon.org.
UF/Peach rootstock research at the University of Florida could be key in crop’s future in the state.
By Clint Thompson
Rootstock research could hold the key to the advancement of the peach industry in Florida. According to Lorenzo Rossi, University of Florida (UF) horticultural science root biologist, the research he’s teamed with UF colleague Jose Chaparro and Ph.D Student, Ricardo Lesmes, could be a game changer in the state’s peach production
“In Florida, we have different type of soils, in particularly in peach-growing regions. We have the central part of Florida in which there is a deep soil profile and a lot of drainage. And we have an area here at the Indian River Research and Education Center, coastal Florida, where the soils are not deep. They have a shallow water table which means there’s a lot of problem with drainage,” Rossi said. “The idea is to create a rootstock for peaches that can do well in soils here. The rootstocks we have, at the moment, are only good for well-drained soils or those in central Florida.”
How does the research work?
Rossi and Chaparro are studying root traits and want to select a particular trait that allows the roots to grow laterally, instead of going deeper. If roots grew sideways, drainage issues would not be a concern because the roots aren’t going as deep in the ground.
“The rootstocks we have right now, they don’t grow in soil that doesn’t have a lot of drainage. They don’t like water to stay there. They will die,” Rossi said. “Our idea was that if we started looking at root traits, you can select and breed rootstocks that can vegetate and be productive on soils that are not well drained. Unfortunately, we don’t have at the moment.”
Rossi said growers are looking for alternative crops to grow since citrus greening disease wiped out a bulk of the state’s citrus crop. Peaches are a potential option.
“Having a better rootstock will help them for sure and that’s what we’re doing,” Rossi said.
Rossi said they have two or three more years left on this research.
Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Agriculture Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) released the Florida Seasonal Crop COVID-19 Impact Assessment, a new report providing data on crop losses facing Florida farmers. Based on figures reported by growers, total crop losses across the state through mid-April 2020 may exceed $522.5 million. Florida is the nation’s second-largest producer of seasonal specialty crops such as blueberries, strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and more.
“As COVID-19 continues to upend our economy, access to a safe, healthy, secure domestic food supply is critical. That depends on our farmers, who are facing significant crop losses and unprecedented market challenges,” said Commissioner Nikki Fried. “With high-volume buyers like theme parks and cruise lines closed, as well as continued unfair foreign trade practices, Florida’s growers are facing over half a billion dollars in losses. These crop loss figures reported by growers are the tip of the iceberg – without quick access to meaningful federal assistance, many of Florida’s multi-generation agriculture businesses could be sunk.”
Causes: The Florida foodservice industry’s demand for fresh produce has plummeted as large-scale buyers including restaurants, school districts, food processing facilities, and others have closed due to COVID-19. Farmers who depend significantly on these high-volume purchases are experiencing losses. In addition to these COVID-19 market issues, high volumes of unfairly-priced Mexican imported produce continue to over-saturate the U.S. market and driving prices below the economical point to harvest, pack, cool and ship the domestic product. As Florida and Mexico share nearly-identical growing seasons, COVID-19 has intensified the problem for Florida farmers.
Solutions: Commissioner Fried and FDACS have been working tirelessly to help mitigate these losses. Commissioner Fried has worked closely with agricultural producers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and other partners to support Florida growers through these challenging circumstances. Commissioner Fried has been in communication with Congress, USDA Secretary Perdue, and other federal agencies to advocate for fast economic relief, and with major retailers and state agencies to seek additional purchases of Florida-grown products, including produce and dairy. She has also advocated for increased focus on Florida’s food supply, and communicated and directly with farmers and ranchers to provide resources, support, and connections directly to buyers, consumers, and food banks. On Friday, the USDA announced $19 billion in aid for agriculture, but concerns remain about the aid’s timeliness and effectiveness due to payment limitations. Commissioner Fried will continue working with USDA, Florida’s Congressional delegation, and industry partners to push for the solutions and support Florida’s farmers need and deserve.
Florida Seasonal Crop COVID-19 Impact Assessment:
The Florida Seasonal Crop COVID-19 Impact Assessment was assembled utilizing phone interviews with growers on April 15, 2020. It should be noted that markets, as well as selling and purchase strategies, change rapidly for most crop sectors with the current conditions of the market. Fluctuations for these projected figures should be expected. Below is information on six of the eleven seasonal crops surveyed to collect value loss data for the Florida Seasonal Crop COVID-19 Impact Assessment. For the full list, find the full report here.
Selected Crop Loss Data:
Lettuce: Circumstances have driven sales down by at least 60% for the season, with estimates of 75% or more of the crop being plowed under. A conservative value loss estimate for the Florida lettuce industry is $5-7million. Some growers in this industry still have one month of harvest left to complete, and report that a more precise estimate will be available once the season ends in mid-May.
Green Beans: Estimated crop losses of green beans in Florida ranges from 50-75% and prices have fallen from $16-18 per box to $6-8 per box in one week. This crop loss cumulatively could range from 75-100% in Central and North Florida, where harvest season has just begun. Industry estimates may approach $40-50 million in overall losses. This crop is approaching heavy scheduled volumes and peak production in coming weeks.
Cabbage: Overall demand for Florida cabbage has decreased by almost 100% following the closure of processed product markets for food service. Estimates of crop losses approach $24 million for the Florida cabbage industry.
Zucchini/Squash: Growers of zucchini and squash are harvesting the crop only where pre-existing contracts are in place or for the purpose of preserving plants. With 25% of the product still remaining in fields, prices have dropped from $28 per box to as low as $3 per box. Estimated losses on Florida zucchini and squash are $17 million for each crop. These crops are approaching heavy scheduled volumes and peak production in coming weeks.
Peppers: It is estimated that up to at least 25% of the overall Florida pepper crop has yet to be picked, as growers are harvesting only to cover pre-existing contracts, and then are shutting down production quickly to minimize further losses. Each crop is typically only seeing one to two picks, resulting in approximately 20% of the total pepper business being plowed under this season. Estimated losses are at least $10 million on Florida peppers.
Cucumbers: Many South Florida companies grow cucumbers for the spring market, and 100% of that spring market crop may now be plowed under. Industry estimates approach up to $38 million in overall losses. This crop is approaching heavy scheduled volumes and peak production in coming weeks.
ATLANTA, GA – Georgia pecan growers of 30 acres or more will vote in May on the renewal of a one-cent per pound assessment on pecans for the Georgia Agriculture Commodity Commission for Pecans.
Pursuant Georgia law, producers are required to vote every three years to renew the assessment. Voting takes place May 1 through May 30, and all ballots must be postmarked by May 30. Additionally, the back of the return envelope must be completed for the ballot to be valid.
The commodity commission utilizes assessment funds for research, education, and promotion of Georgia pecans. Among the research funded is support for a University of Georgia (UGA) pecan specialist and breeder whose research includes disease and insect management as well as health benefits of pecans. Additionally, funding helps promote Georgia pecans in domestic and international markets.
Growers of 30 or more acres who have not received a ballot should contact Andy Harrison, at andy.harrison@agr.georgia.gov.
