Maple Syrup

More Maple Syrup This Year

Dan Economy, Specialty Crops, Sugar, This Land of Ours

Some would call it a breakfast staple. Why there’s more maple syrup coming this season. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The latest USDA outlook on maple syrup production indicates more product this season after a year-over-year production rebound. Rod Bain reports.

wildfires

Wildfires Threaten CA Wine Country

Dan Fruits, Specialty Crops

Wine enthusiasts around the nation know the reputation of wines from California’s Napa Valley, but those wine grapes and the farmers who grow them, are in constant peril each summer because of area wildfires. We caught up with Fisher Wines CEO Rob Fisher, as two fires burned within a hundred miles of his land. The Point Fire in Sonoma County …

Georgia Agricultural

Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commissions Seek Nominations

Dan Agri-Business, Field Crops, Fruits, Georgia, Specialty Crops, Vegetables

(Atlanta, GA/May 8,2024) — Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper has announced that 12 of Georgia’s Agricultural Commodity Commissions are seeking nominations from producers to serve on their respective commissions. Nomination forms are available on the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s website and will be accepted until May 24, 2024. The Georgia Department of Agriculture administers these commissions, which oversee farmer-funded programs dedicated …

Herbicide Drift Damage Showing up In Pecan Orchards

Dan Georgia, Pecans, Specialty Crops, Tree Nuts

Herbicide damage is showing up in Southeast pecan orchards. This is the result of row-crop burndown, according to Lenny Wells, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension pecan specialist. It also has some growers concerned about the potential impact of 2,4-D mix drift on this year’s crop. “This is never a pleasant situation. It tends to be infuriating, nerve-wracking, and worrisome,” Wells …

AFVGA Executive Director Optimistic About State’s Strawberry, Peach Crops

Dan Alabama, Fruits, Specialty Crops, Tree Nuts

Optimism abounds for Alabama’s strawberry and peach crops this season. Blake Thaxton, executive director of the Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (AFVGA), highlighted what he has heard from growers so far this year, starting with excitement geared towards a generational-type strawberry crop. “I’m hearing very good things about the strawberry crop. People are saying things like it’s a 10-year …

US Sugar Production Strong

Dan Specialty Crops, Sugar

The University of Missouri Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute recently released its 2024 Outlook for U.S. Agriculture (.pdf). They project that American sugar production remains strong and expect production to grow despite challenges seen over the past couple of years. Those challenges include factory closures in Montana and Texas. “Despite the new and existing challenges, the forecast is bright …