Whether you are an amateur gardener or seasoned agriculturalist, there’s no denying that pests can sneak in and ruin a crop. Whether they appear in the form of insects, weeds, or plant diseases, all can be detrimental. Current and former Alabama Cooperative Extension System entomologists, weed scientists, plant pathologists, and pesticide education specialists have compiled an updated list of 2021 integrated …
Alabama Beekeeping Symposium Coming this Weekend
The 26th Annual Beekeeping Symposium will be held on Feb. 6 and 7 through Zoom. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System is proud to host the symposium to provide timely information for Alabama’s beekeeping public. Because of the ongoing pandemic, this year’s event was forced to restructure, and therefore for the first time, it will be a digital event. The cost to …
Contract Poultry Growers Now Eligible for CFAP Funds
(ACES) — Changes to the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) announced earlier this month is good news for Alabama’s contract poultry growers. “The USDA changes mean that relief funds are available to contract poultry and other contract growers affected by COVID-19 market changes,” said Dennis Brothers, an Alabama Cooperative Extension System agricultural economist. Brothers said contract poultry growers need to understand …
Alabama 2020 Cotton Insect Losses Report
This week, the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service (ACES) released the 2020 Alabama Cotton Insect Losses Report. This report provides information about the causes and percentages of cotton crop losses due to insects. The report has been published since 1979 by Extension entomologists across the Cotton Belt, as estimates are based on Extension entomologists’ observations and informal surveys of other Extension personnel, …
Cotton Byproducts Supplement Cattle Feed
(ACES) — With cotton harvest complete, producers now wait for ginning to wrap up, as preparations begin for another year. Livestock owners, on the other hand, are gearing up to purchase cotton byproducts to supplement minerals and feeds throughout the winter months. Alabama Cooperative Extension System beef specialist, Kim Mullenix, said the Southeast is one of the largest cotton producing regions …
Row Crops Short Course Available Online
(ACES) — Preparations for the upcoming growing season will not need to be put on hold during the pandemic. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System and the Auburn University College of Agriculture’s department of crop, soil and environmental sciences are partnering to bring the annual row crops short course to producers everywhere — on their own time. Available Dec. 14, topics …
Prioritize Cover Crops After Harvest Season
(ACES) — Cover crops are an investment. To get the most out of their investment, producers should manage cover crops to maximize benefits and minimize costs. Audrey Gamble, an Alabama Cooperative Extension System soil scientist recommends producers place great emphasis on cover crops this winter. Cover Crop Benefits Many soils in Alabama have low levels of soil organic matter due …
Extension Economist Offers Reassurances about Meat Supplies
(ACES) — Smithfield Foods has closed a major pork processing facility in South Dakota causing concern about meat supplies and possible shortages among consumers, industry professionals and political pundits. An economist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System said consumers should think about the industry as a whole and the long-term logistics of moving not only meat supplies but also all …
Alabama Extension Teams Working for You
(ACES) — Coronavirus or no coronavirus, Alabama Extension is always in the business of serving people. Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, Extension teams are adapting their delivery methods to continue providing educational information to the residents of Alabama. “This outbreak is not keeping our program teams from helping the public,” said Mike Phillips, an assistant director of Alabama Extension. “Our teams, …
Alabama Extension Continues to Serve During Coronavirus
(ACES) — The Alabama Cooperative Extension System has temporarily closed its county and state offices in response to coronavirus control protocols from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During this time, Extension follows guidance from Alabama A&M and Auburn universities, the two parent universities of the agency. “In light of recent developments surrounding the spread of COVID-19, it has …