AgNet DEMO

Category: Weather

  • Improved Weather Data at Growers’ Fingertips

    Weather is one of the most important factors affecting crop growth and production.

    The Florida Automated Weather Network (FAWN), a University of Florida-operated service, was created to assist growers in making decisions related primarily to irrigation scheduling and cold protection.

    Migliaccio

    Currently, the FAWN network operates 42 stations located from Jay to Homestead that record and report every 15 minutes on information like air temperature, wind and rainfall. Some stations are even adding data from newer technologies like soil moisture sensors, with plans to expand these offerings to more locations.

    During the recent FAWN virtual showcase, growers, industry members, researchers and Extension gathered to learn about the improvements in FAWN data quality and how users can apply the data.

    Kati Migliaccio, a professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), says FAWN is a great resource for general research applications. Using weather data to complement other observations and having the ability to compare historical averages are just a few ways FAWN is used in research.

    “Weather data is very core to what we do at IFAS; its core to natural resources, agriculture and urban systems,” Migliaccio said.

    Additionally, data from FAWN is used to make irrigation decisions with SmartIrrigation apps. Growers can use these apps to improve irrigation practices using real-time weather data.

    Ryan Atwood of Atwood Family Farms was present at the meeting to provide a personal testimony on how he uses FAWN every day to make decisions at his operation.

    “A big part of what I think FAWN’s value to growers is, is the fact that you know you have reliable weather data on a system that’s being maintained regularly,” Atwood said.

    Earlier this year, FAWN relaunched its website, making it more efficient for users. FAWN is now accessible through mobile platforms, making it even easier for users to access the same information.

    Ashley Robinson, AgNet Media communications intern, wrote this article.

  • Tropics Continue to be Active

    Graphic taken from National Weather Service.

    According to the UGA Extension Climate and Agriculture blog, the tropics continue to be active with different systems expected to impact the Southeast this week.

    Pam Knox, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Agricultural Climatologist, said the latest map shows several tropical centers of activity. Wilfred has declined to a tropical depression and should not be a threat to anyone. Alpha (off the map to the east) made landfall in Portugal, bringing rain to that region. Hurricane Teddy is still a category 2 hurricane and is moving northward. It may cross over Bermuda before hitting the Canadian Maritime Provinces later in the week. At the moment the only impact we see from Teddy is very high waves along the East Coast. Post-Tropical Storm Paulette is still hanging out in the eastern Atlantic and has a chance of making a comeback there. And there is a small area of rotation over the Florida peninsula moving west which has a small chance of developing into a tropical depression as it moves over the Gulf.

    Tropical Storm Beta is our next biggest issue. It is currently in the northwestern Gulf and is expected to make landfall in Texas before making a sharp right turn and following the coast into Louisiana and then swinging northeast through Mississippi later in the week. It will be another big rainmaker for the areas it passes by. In the Southeast, we are currently seeing some high-level clouds from the storm in southern Alabama and Georgia. By Thursday, we could see some rain from the storm in northern Alabama and Georgia as it moves out to the northeast.

  • Alabama Farmers Federation Surveying Producers

    Alabama Farmers Federation photo/Hurricane Sally damaged crops and structures along Alabama’s Gulf Coast when it hit Sept. 16. Bitto Farms sustained damage from the hurricane in Baldwin County.

    The Alabama Farmers Federation is requesting help from producers hit hard this week by Hurricane Sally. The organization has put together a storm damage survey for growers impacted by the Category 2 hurricane.

    In the storm damage survey, it says while it is important to report losses in the survey, it is also important to report damage to your local Farm Service Agency office.

  • Vidalia Onion Growers Expected to Resume Planting Following Latest Storm

    Photo provided by Chris Tyson/Shows onions being planted in 2019.

    Georgia Vidalia onion growers will resume planting this year’s crop following rainfall from Hurricane-turned-Tropical Storm Sally this week, says Chris Tyson, University of Georgia Extension Area Onion Agent at the Vidalia Onion & Vegetable Research Center in Lyons, Georgia.

    Tyson said the heavy rains that pummeled the Southeast on Wednesday did not impact his area as much in southeast Georgia. This should allow growers to resume planting next week.

    “I’m going to plant my seedbeds next week. We had some people that planted some last week and this week, but I think a lot of farmers put the brakes on it this week because of this storm, just trying to see what it’s going to do,” Tyson said. “Looks like it’s going to clear out after this next day or two and then we’ll get back at it.”

    Rain Totals

    Tyson’s research farm is located between the Toombs County and Tattnall County line. According to the UGA Weather Automated Network, Vidalia, Georgia, which is located next to Lyons in Toombs County, received only 0.23 inches of rain on Wednesday; compared to 5.30 inches in Cordele, 2.55 inches in Tifton and 3.39 inches in Vienna. That lack of excessive moisture should allow plantings to resume.

    “As long as it dries off a little bit and we don’t get much more rain, we’re going to plant our seedbeds for our research trials next week. I know the growers will get going back again too with their planting as well, as long as it’s not too wet,” Tyson said.

    “We don’t want it to be too wet. We don’t want any extreme conditions, especially plants that are just coming up. Those seedlings are sensitive to rough winds or flooding or stuff like that. It always makes us nervous this time of year with these storms. The wind in itself, wind and sand blasting and blowing hard driving rain can be bad; not to mention flooding and washing out in places.”

    Vidalia onion acreage the past two years has hovered around 9,300 acres, which is down from what it had been for several years prior. Tyson said this year’s acres could fluctuate some either way but doesn’t anticipate any huge changes in acreage.

    Seedbeds will be planted in September through the first of October.

  • Floodwaters Impact Southeast Crops

    Farmers and homeowners across parts of Florida, Alabama and Georgia felt the wrath of Hurricane-turned-Tropical Storm Sally this week. High winds and massive floods knocked out electricity for residents and impacted farmers’ crops.

    Woods

    Kristin Woods, Alabama Regional Extension agent, who specializes in commercial horticulture and food safety, reminds growers about the ramifications of floodwaters that come in contact with edible crops.

    “The issue with floodwaters is that they’re generally running off from another area. It’s not the same as having a puddle or pool of water on the farm that’s just the contamination that might be from that spot. When the floodwaters are running off from another area, there’s no telling what could be in it,” Woods said. “It could be chemical contamination. It could be microbial contamination if there’s sewage leaking into the floodwaters. It could be just about anything in there.

    “The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) says that any crop that is exposed to floodwaters is adulterated; it can’t be sold.”

    What are Floodwaters?

    According to the Alabama Extension news article, all standing water in a field is considered floodwater. Flooding is considered the flowing or overflowing of a field from open bodies of water outside the producer’s control. Adulterated means to make something poorer in quality by adding another substance, typically of inferior quality.

    “Around here, we have quite a few people that just put in their fall gardens. I guess in a way that’s fortunate because you’re talking about replanting and not ruining a crop that has been there for three months,” Woods said. “We have some pumpkins, too. Usually, those are not eaten, so that’s a good thing. If it’s a crop that’s not going to be sold for food, then it’s fine, if it can be salvaged. If it’s under water for too long then the pumpkins won’t be any good, either.”

    Excessive Rains Recorded

    According to weather.com, more than 24 inches of rain was recorded at Pensacola Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Fla. In Alabama, most of the 238,000 homes and businesses without power were in Mobile and Baldwin counties. According to weather.com, the flooding continued on Thursday in Georgia and moved to the Carolinas and Virginia.

  • Georgia Pecan Producers Wary of Storm’s Impact

    UGA photo shows damage from Hurricane Michael in Tift County. 10-11-18

    Georgia pecan farmers are once again vulnerable to a fall storm as Hurricane Sally slowly moves across the state this week. Its presence reminds growers of Hurricane Michael in 2018.

    While Hurricane Sally is not expected to bring similar damage, it still is a subtle reminder of the impact a storm can have on the state’s pecan crop, especially this close to harvest.

    “Obviously, everybody gets nervous when you talk about a hurricane after what we saw a couple of years ago. In our forecast right now, we are seeing some 30 mph gusts in some of our pecan belt over in the west and even now in our area around Irwin, Ben Hill and Wilcox (counties) area,” said Phil Croft, manager of the Hudson Pecan Company. “We will lose some limbs, but we shouldn’t lose any trees. We’re hoping that thing will calm down before it gets to us. We’ll lose some limbs for sure, but hopefully, it won’t cause any severe damage.”

    Hurricane Michael’s Impact

    According to the UGA CAES Newswire, Georgia’s pecan industry suffered a $100 million loss plus $260 million in lost trees after Hurricane Michael moved through the Southeast in early October. Between 30% and 40% of the pecan trees were destroyed in Dougherty, Lee and Mitchell counties, where 30% of Georgia’s pecan crop is produced.

    After a disappointing 2019 season, Georgia producers are expecting a bumper crop this season, though there’s still some uncertainty as to what the quantity will be.

    “We’re interested to see what our max crop in Georgia’s going to be. We don’t really know. People are saying there’s a 100 million pound crop. I’ve heard 20 million pound crop; I’ve heard 80 million pounds,” Croft said. “The reason you’re seeing so much variance there is nobody knows the true impact that the hurricane had on us. We have a bumper crop this year, but what could Georgia produce? If we don’t have a severe storm from now to harvest, we’ll be able to tell what Georgia can produce now after the hurricane.”

  • Soon-to-be Hurricane Sally to Bring Lots of Rain to Georgia

    Sally, now a tropical storm, is predicted to become a hurricane and impact the Southeast.

    The latest tropical system to impact the Southeast is expected to bring lots of rain to Georgia this week.

    Tropical Storm Sally is forecast to become a hurricane by tonight, according to Pam Knox, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Agricultural Climatologist.

    In her blog, Knox said Tropical Storm Sally is bearing down on the Southeast and is expected to become a hurricane by tonight. It is expected to be a Category 2 hurricane when it makes landfall just east of New Orleans sometime on Tuesday. Sally is moving very slowly, which means opportunity for storm surge to develop and for winds to cause damage.

    Georgia farmers need to be wary that the major impact from this storm will be rain. In some areas, there is potential for lots of rain. In western and northern Georgia, some areas could receive 4 to 6 inches as the storm slowly wanders and dissipates to our west and then moves back over Georgia as a post-tropical depression later this week.

    Everywhere in the state can expect to receive at least 1 to 2 inches over the next five days. The western half of the state does have a chance of seeing some gusty winds, which could start as early as today but are more likely to start on Tuesday. With the saturated soil, that means any wind is more likely to blow over trees, leading to power outages and damage to roofs and buildings.

    You can follow updates at the National Hurricane Center at https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/. Don’t focus on the center of the forecast cone. With slow-moving storms, the direction is very uncertain. Rain will spread far out from the center anyway.

  • Dry Temperatures Not Bad Thing for Georgia Hemp Producers

    File photo shows hemp growing in a field.

    Hot and dry temperatures are not necessarily a bad thing for Georgia’s hemp producers, according to Tim Coolong, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension specialist. What the crop will not do well in is when the soil is wet.

    Tim Coolong

    “Every single grower that I’ve met with is irrigating their hemp anyway. Actually, a little bit drier is probably fine, because if they do need some water, they will irrigate,” Coolong said. “The only negative thing is some people are planting pretty late because they’re just getting their licenses. Some of the heat we’re having may make it a little bit harder to establish plants. Just like planting fall vegetables, if you’re planting and it’s 95 degrees out, sometimes it helps to have a little bit of a shower to cool things down.”

    According to the US Drought Monitor, various parts of the state include areas that are classified as abnormally dry. It is especially concerning for middle Georgia and east Georgia along the coast.

    It is a critical point for hemp producers since hemp is expected to begin flowering in early August. Coolong said the handful of growers that are still planting are in danger of producing a crop with reduced yields.

    “Hemp for the most part, when you get below 14 hours of day length will start to flower. That’s right about now when we start getting below that threshold. Most of the plants will start flowering around the first week of August,” Coolong said. “The idea is if you plant too late, you’ll have this relatively small plant that could start flowering. Your yield would be lower than if you planted in late May or June when you can build a larger frame on a plant.”

  • Potential La Nina Weather Event Could Impact Pecans Later This Season

    An increasing likelihood of a La Nina weather event this fall could impact row crop farmers and specialty crop producers as well, said Pam Knox, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Agricultural Climatologist.

    “When we do have a La Nina, we do tend to have a little bit drier than normal fall. Dryness in the fall isn’t necessarily bad. It’s helpful for the people that’s trying to harvest. It’s just that if you’re trying to fill in the last of the pecans or get a little more growth out of the peanuts then dry conditions are not necessarily good,” Knox said.

    According to the pecan production calendar, pecan’s water requirements are especially high in August and September. UGA pecan experts say water needs are 300 to 350 gallons per tree per day or 3,600 to 4,200 gallons per acre per day.

    Knox said we are in a La Nina watch right now and is unclear how strong of a La Nina it’s could be.

    “Typically, when we have a La Nina occurring, and right now we’re under a La Nina watch, the conditions in the Eastern Pacific Ocean are cooler than normal. They’re expected to stay that way. Usually it takes four months before they’ll declare an official La Nina,” Knox said. “The predictions are it might last until January or February and then go back to neutral conditions. It’s not necessarily one that’s going to be really long.”

  • UF/IFAS Experts Outline Hurricane Prep, Recovery for Citrus Growers

    UF/IFAS. It shows citrus damage and flooding from Hurricane Irma.

    By: Brad Buck, 813-757-2224 (office); 352-875-2641 (cell); bradbuck@ufl.edu

    Like all farmers, Florida’s citrus producers must prepare for the worst before a hurricane strikes. That’s why Fernando Alferez co-wrote a manual that gives growers tips on how to get their citrus farm ready for – and recover from — the potentially dangerous storms.

    It’s not just coastal counties, where the storms hit first, that are right in the path of destruction. Even inland areas, where much Florida citrus grows, are vulnerable.

    “Hurricanes are very big systems, and their impacts often extend hundreds of miles away from the eye,” said Alferez, an assistant professor of horticultural sciences at the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center. “One would tend to think that Southwest Florida is most prone to hurricane damage and think about Irma in 2017 or Wilma in 2005. Those were devastating for the southwest part of Florida.”

    But commercial citrus operations throughout Florida can experience a hurricane’s wrath. Hurricanes Charley, Frances and Jeanne struck Florida in 2004. They impacted mostly the central Florida citrus region. Hurricane Michael in 2018 impacted the mandarin-producing areas in the Panhandle, not to mention strikes in the east coast damaging the grapefruit industry, said Alferez.

    To try to minimize damage to citrus farms, Alferez outlines the important aspects of preparing for a hurricane:

    • Initial site planning is important. In general, ensure good drainage. Then, maintain the drainage infrastructure because flood prevention is key for citrus trees to survive.
    • Know and take care of your farm. Have an inventory of everything in place and updated.
    • Know your employees and care about them, train them and make sure you have insurance for the farm.
    • Have an emergency plan that includes follow-up and recovery plans. Have a clear chain of command.

    After the storm strikes — before you do anything else — make sure it’s safe to get into the farm. If it is, document all damage. That includes taking photos. This will help with insurance claims. Then, start grove and tree recovery.

    Some citrus varieties seem to be able to withstand the storms better than others, Alferez said.

    “What we have seen so far is that Swingle rootstock and trifoliate rootstocks behave well and are not easily uprooted,” he said. “On the contrary, rootstocks such as Flying Dragon and Volkameriana did not perform well.”

    Alferez and Mongi Zekri, a multi-county specialized citrus agent for UF/IFAS Extension in Southwest Florida, co-authored the guide. They wrote the document after the U.S. Department of Agriculture Southeast Climate Hub asked Alferez to develop a technical manual for citrus producers to build resilience to and recover from hurricanes or tropical storms.

    The request came after Alferez spoke at a conference in Gainesville in November 2018. There, he talked about the effects of Hurricane Irma on citrus production in Southwest Florida. From there, the Climate Hub decided to develop a technical manual to help producers — farmers, foresters and livestock/grazing land managers — in the southeastern United States build resilience to and recover from hurricane events.

    “The end product would be a consolidation of the best available management practices on citrus into one uniformly designed manual that could be used by Extension agents to provide preparatory and recovery resource-specific guidance to citrus producers,” Alferez said.