A study from USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) shows the role meatpacking plants played in the spread of COVID-19. In what ERS describes as a working paper, the study outlined 49 U.S. non-metro counties in which 20 percent or more of employment is in meatpacking, defined as meatpacking-dependent counties. This represents 41 percent of all nonmetro counties with employment in …
Fungus Suppresses Asian Citrus Psyllids
The citrus disease HLB, also known as citrus greening, has a formidable enemy in a fungal pathogen, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers reported. The fungus is Cordyceps javanica, strain Apopka, discovered by research scientist Lance Osborne in the mid-1980s. The fungus was isolated from dead insects on plants in a greenhouse at the UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research …
GCC Encourages Enrollment in U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol Webinars
By Clint Thompson The Georgia Cotton Commission (GCC) reminds producers about enrollment in upcoming webinars hosted by the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. The webinars’ focus is helping growers understand how the program helps meet industry demands while documenting and verifying sustainability practices already implemented in farms. Taylor Sills, executive director of the GCC, discusses the importance of enrolling in …
What’s Left on the To-Do List for Gardens This Year
What’s left on the to do list for gardens this year. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Now that Fall arrived there are still a few things left on the gardening to-do list for the year. October is a time of preparing for the winter months and harvesting the last veggies still lingering in the garden bed. Depending …
Promoting Peanut Shows Coming Next Year
While working up your 2022 calendar of events, we have a couple of dates to add to it. There will be two big peanut shows coming up after the first of the year. The first one will take place in January, as the Georgia Peanut Commission has announced the 45th annual Georgia Peanut Farm Show & Conference will be Jan. 19-20, 2022 at …
USDA Initiative to Create More and Better Market Opportunities
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), as part of their efforts to address food systems challenges arising from the pandemic as well as those going back decades, has announced plans for another $100 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. The funding would leverage hundreds of millions more in lending through community and private sector lenders to expand …
October Beef Month Underway in Alabama
October Beef Month in Alabama is underway, and the annual event involves a variety of Beef Checkoff promotions. One of those continues this week, as Burger Week is underway in Mobile and runs through October 9th. Then, according to Alabama Cattlemen’s Association (ACA) Director of Education and Outreach Ali Cantrell, next up will be Beef Week. Learn more about these and other …
Georgia Beef Board Chairman Proud of Checkoff
The Beef Checkoff has been around many years, and one Georgia cattle producer still strongly believes in the program. Robert Fountain Jr., from Adrian and Chairman of the Georgia Beef Board (GBB), recently told Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman producers dollars invested into it have yielded tremendous returns to the industry. For more information, contact the GBB office in Macon or …
“Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner” 300 Returns to Daytona
The Federation of State Beef Councils, on behalf of the Beef Checkoff, has announced they will once again sponsor a NASCAR race at the Daytona International Speedway. The Federation will sponsor the 41st season-opening “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner 300” race. The event will be held Saturday, February 19, one day before the Daytona 500. This is the second time the Beef …
Southeast Cotton, Peanut Harvest Update
While peanut harvest continues, cotton harvest is trying to get underway in some areas of the Southeast. But USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey notes cool, wet weather has delayed crop development. In Alabama, only 64 percent of the cotton crop saw bolls opening, which compares to 78 percent last year and 84 percent is the 5-year average. Cotton harvested is at …