The Farm Bill: What’s the Big Deal?

United States Congressman Ted Yoho recently convened a town hall style forum with North Florida farmers and agribusinesses to discuss the recently passed Farm Bill. The meeting was a result of many area stakeholders contacting the Congressman to discuss the ramifications of the new law on their livelihood. The concerns of these farmers are basically two-fold. …

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Pesticide Applicator School and Examinations

This is the time of year many farmers call asking about Pesticide CEU opportunities for their license renewal. Several of my colleagues and I are ready to kickoff our “Pesticide Applicator Roadshow.” We are planning to provide core and category CEU’s and the opportunity to prepare and test for the FDACS Pesticide License Examination. We …

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National Sorghum Producers Yield and Management Contest (Video)

One of our area farms believes that grain sorghum or milo as some call it, has an excellent fit as a rotation crop in our area. There are excellent local markets available using the grain as bird seed and livestock feed. It is a crop that is well adapted to our growing conditions and our …

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Three Corner Alfalfa Hopper and Potato Hopper in Peanut

A key insect pest is one that often triggers the first insecticidal treatments in a field, and the three-cornered alfalfa hopper (TCAH) apparently has reached that status locally. The first insecticide treatments then influence other pest activities the remainder of the season. Specifically, in this situation, treatment for TCAH eliminates beneficial insects and allows an opportunity for caterpillar pests …

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Sweet Corn Harvest (Video) and Stinkbugs

One of our Columbia County farmers has started sweet corn harvest. The spring was challenging for the sweet corn crop with cool temperatures throughout March and April and a hard freeze on the mornings of March 27 and 28. However things have gone well overall and they have started harvest of a great crop. Prior to …

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Watermelon Disease, Update from UGA

This was in my inbox today. We have had similar reports in Florida, throughout the Suwannee Valley as well as in the Tri-County Agricultural Area. Still cool and wet here.  Thanks to Dr. David Langston, Associate Professor of Plant Pathology, and  Matt Roberts at UGA Colquitt County Extension for the update.   1.      Some of you may …

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Thrips Control with Admire Pro

In addition to CruiserMaxx Peanuts bursting on the scene, there is more emphasis on marketing of Admire Pro (imidacloprid) by Bayer this year. There has been work with this product since the mid 1990’s to address thrips control. To address some of the most recent work, I want to share the data provided by Drs. …

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Pigweeds Beat Us to the Field

Walking behind peanut planters this week, I noticed that our pesky friend Palmer Amaranth was one step ahead. The standard practice on many area farms is to apply glyphosate with the pre-emerge herbicides behind the planter. In past years we have recieved many calls from farmers missing these Palmer Amaranth with glyphosate applications. Nowdays, I just assume …

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