By Clint Thompson The Sunbelt Ag Expo is less than a month away. After last year’s cancellation amid the onset of COVID-19, growers, industry leaders and vendors are excited to return to the event, scheduled for Oct. 19-21. According to Becca Turner, vice president, marketing and public relations at Sunbelt, the number of registered individual exhibitors scheduled to come to …
Cotton Diseases a Factor for Georgia Producers
By Clint Thompson The Georgia Cotton Commission and University of Georgia Extension plant pathologist Bob Kemerait caution growers about various diseases that could be problematic over the final weeks of this year’s production season. Kemerait said the excessive rains this summer have sparked three diseases that growers need to be wary of. “With all the moisture we’ve had and with …
Cotton Defoliation: GCC/UGA Remind Producers About Timely Applications
By Clint Thompson The Georgia Cotton Commission and the University of Georgia Extension Cotton Team remind producers about the importance of being timely with their defoliation applications. Timeliness leads to increased yields and better quality, says Camp Hand, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension cotton agronomist. “We need to start thinking about defoliation, particularly, timing and being timely with our decisions,” …
Peanut Producers Face Future Without Chlorpyrifos
By Clint Thompson The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to stop the use of the pesticide chlorpyrifos on all food will adversely affect some Georgia peanut producers. University of Georgia Extension peanut entomologist Mark Abney said the pesticide ban will have major implications for the few growers who experience problems with peanut burrower bugs and rootworms. “There’s two pests of …
Scouting Key in Management of Stink Bugs in Cotton
By Clint Thompson Scouting remains the best management tactic for cotton producers against stink bug pressure. It also ensures that stink bugs are present so growers can avoid applying insecticides when they are not needed, says Brock Ward, retail business representative at Syngenta. “In this area it’s pretty dynamic the different species that we see of insects that hit us …
GCC, GPC Remind Growers About Upcoming Field Day at UGA Tifton
By Clint Thompson The Georgia Cotton Commission (GCC) and Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) remind producers about the upcoming University of Georgia (UGA) Cotton and Peanut Research Field Day on the UGA Tifton Campus on Wednesday, Sept. 8. Both commission groups sponsor the event. It is held every year to provide growers timely information and about research being conducted on campus, …
GCC Encourages Producers to Attend Remaining Field Days
By Clint Thompson The Georgia Cotton Commission (GCC) encourages producers to attend any of the remaining three field days to be held over the next month. Growers can interact with researchers and ask questions about issues pertinent to their farming operations. Topics typically center on variety selection, pest management, irrigation and precision agriculture. Taylor Sills, executive director of the Georgia …
GPC to Host Multiple Listening Sessions
By Clint Thompson The Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) reminds producers about the upcoming listening sessions later this month that will help industry leaders prepare for the 2023 farm bill. The three sessions’ days and locations are as follows Aug. 24 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.; Decatur County Extension Office; 101 B Ag Lane, Bainbridge, Georgia 39817 Aug. 26 1 p.m. …
Timeliness Remains Key for Peanut Producers Managing Diseases
By Clint Thompson All things considering, Southeast peanut producers are producing a strong crop. But with harvest time getting closer, growers need to stay vigilant with their fungicide sprays, especially amid a saturated summer. “What’s top of mind right now is being timely. I’ve been in a lot of fields, and we’ve seen plenty of leaf spot and white mold …
Georgia Cotton Producers Encouraged to Scout for Corn Earworms
By Clint Thompson The Georgia Cotton Commission and University of Georgia (UGA) Cooperative Extension remind producers about the need to scout for corn earworms (CEW). UGA Extension cotton entomologist Phillip Roberts stresses the importance of protecting against increased infestations. “We don’t have any widespread problems on the farm at this time, but we’re seeing an increase in activity. We need …