By Clint Thompson Hemp producers in the Southeast need to be mindful of fire ants. They will damage the stems of hemp plants if not treated, said Katelyn Kesheimer, Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist. “My phone has been ringing off the hook with fire ant problems the last seven days, really. A couple of weeks ago, we had …
USDA Issues First Coronavirus Food Assistance Program Payments
United States Department of Agriculture (Washington, D.C., June 4, 2020) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) has already approved more than $545 million in payments to producers who have applied for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. FSA began taking applications May 26, and the agency has received over 86,000 applications for …
USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program Reaches 5 Million Boxes Distributed
(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farmers to Families Food Box Program has distributed more than five million food boxes in support of American farmers and families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. “The Farmers to Families Food Box Program was designed to put American farmers and distributors of all …
2020 Caneberry Survey on Pricing, COVID-19 Impacts
— Written By Daniel Tregeagle The North American Raspberry and Blackberry Association (NARBA), in collaboration with NC State University and the University of Arkansas, is conducting its biennial pricing survey. Growers of caneberries (raspberries, blackberries, and hybrids) in Canada and the U.S. will be asked about prices they received across all distribution methods. This year, additional questions have been added …
Economist Fearful CFAP Funds Won’t Be Enough
By Clint Thompson One agricultural economist fears there might be insufficient funds to cover farmers who apply for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. Max Runge, Extension specialist in agricultural economics and rural sociology at Auburn University, believes the 80% of maximum total payment allotted for applicants will not be enough considering the number of producers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. …
Optimizing Nitrogen in Cabbage Production
By Ashley Robinson A shortage of nitrogen is the most common reason for a cabbage crop not reaching its full yield potential. However, applying too much nitrogen may cause more harm than good. It’s important to determine the optimal rate for production. Researchers at the University of Georgia (UGA) and the University of Florida are working in collaboration to conduct …
United Fresh Says Produce Buying Climbed During COVID-19
United Fresh Produce released its first quarter of 2020 issue of Fresh Facts on Retail report that details the rising number of fresh produce purchases in 2020. The unprecedented rise in food and beverage consumption at home was brought about by shelter-in-place orders issued to slow the spread of the coronavirus. “Those closures have led to consumers drastically restructuring their …
Potato Industry Feels Left Out of CFAP
The National Potato Council and state grower organizations wrote Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue recently to talk about potatoes that have nowhere to go for processing. The Hagstrom Report says the council noted more than “1.5 billion pounds of fresh potatoes for processing and potato products are trapped in the supply chain with no likely customers.” Mountains of potatoes were being …
Blueberry Industry Leaders Hoping for Category 1 Status
By Clint Thompson Blueberry industry leaders were disappointed its farmers were not included in category 1 of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. They hope to rectify the situation during the 30-day comment period that the USDA has allowed for feedback. “Where we landed with the direct payment program, obviously we learned (two weeks ago), it was disappointing because the one …
Pest Alert: Mummy Berry Disease in Blueberries
Posted by Elina Coneva and Ed Sikora (Alabama Extension) Current wet and cooler than normal conditions are conducive for mummy berry disease in blueberry, according to Alabama Extension. Mummy berry disease is caused by the fungus Monilinia vacciniicorymbosi and is an important fungal disease of blueberries that can cause yield losses of up to 50% when conditions are favorable for disease …