By Clint Thompson Corn growers across the Southeast need to already be on the lookout for stink bugs, says Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist Katelyn Kesheimer. “I would caution growers to get their plans in place and start scouting early. We’ve already started seeing southern green stink bugs and stink bug nymphs down in southern Alabama. Adults are …
Little Projected Rainfall Means More Irrigation Needed
By Clint Thompson Limited rainfall over the next couple of weeks means row crop growers need to be irrigating early and often to get their seed producing. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension irrigation specialist Wes Porter said water requirements for cotton and peanuts is low early in the season. But they do still require water. “If we’re absolutely getting no …
Alabama Extension Agent: Anytime We Have a Recession, Demand for Cotton Drops Off
Other Commodity Prices Could Rebound Quicker By Clint Thompson One Alabama Extension regional farm and agribusiness management agent is hopeful commodity prices will rebound once the ongoing coronavirus pandemic subsides. At least for all row crops except cotton, which could take longer to recover from. “Anytime we have a recession, or the economy takes a hit, when consumers don’t have …
Auburn Extension Specialist: Farmers Need to Hit Home Run
By Clint Thompson Max Runge, Extension specialist in agricultural economics and rural sociology at Auburn University, believes Alabama row crop farmers are feeling the pressure of delivering a profitable season. That, more than anything else, will impact what they produce this year. “Ideally, we talk about this all the time, stick to your rotations and look for the long-term. A …
ASA Survey: Soy Farmers Concerned About COVID-19
Washington, D.C. April 20, 2020. Stress levels are high among America’s soybean farmers. The terms “stress,” “anxiety,” and “concerns over mental health” were used dozens of times in an informal survey released this week by the American Soybean Association (ASA). The survey was an initiative of the ASA COVID-19 Task Force, a 12-person group formed in March consisting of ASA …
UF Surveys to Identify Impact of Pandemic on Florida’s Agriculture and Marine Industries
(UF/IFAS) — With agriculture and marine industries occupying a large portion of Florida’s economy, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) wants to better understand how measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 are impacting these sectors. Starting today, faculty from the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics (FRE) department are deploying surveys to UF/IFAS Extension agents …
The Day South Florida Agriculture Changed
Submitted by Gene McAvoy, Regional Vegetable Extension Agent IV Emeritus with UF/IFAS “Up to the end of Feb our growers were having a banner year and it looked like this season would be one of those homeruns that come around every 5-6 years.” Here is a report that I prepared on the state of S Florida ag and shared with …
Extension Specialist: Soybean Rust Overwinters in two Alabama Counties
By Clint Thompson Soybean farmers need to be wary of soybean rust disease, which overwintered in Baldwin County, Alabama and Mobile County, Alabama, according to Edward Sikora, professor and Extension plant pathologist in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at Auburn University. He stresses that the pathogen’s presence in Alabama doesn’t mean there will be an outbreak of the …
Coronavirus Safety Fact Sheets for Workers
Author: E. Vanessa Campoverde, UF/IFAS (UF/IFAS) — I have received several questions regarding what to do if you have employees or work with others during this Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in agricultural operations and related businesses. While there is plenty of information about how the virus work, how to protect yourself and others, etc. I compiled some information (with images) that can …
Alabama Farmers To Plant More Corn And Wheat, Less Cotton, Peanuts And Soybeans
(ALFA) — Alabama farmers will plant more corn and wheat this year, but less cotton, peanuts and soybeans, according to the March Agricultural Survey released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture today. Farmers decisions are greatly influenced by the economy, said the Alabama Farmers Federation’s Carla Hornady. Fluctuating markets, weather, unstable foreign trade, and in some cases erratic buying habits …