Thinking Outside the Box With Satsumas

Josh McGill Cold Hardy

Satsuma mandarins are big business in the Georgia and North Florida citrus industry. Satsumas are desirable from the consumer perspective, and the fruit’s cold hardiness is suited for the northern reaches of citrus production. Cold hardiness was proven to be especially important after freezes in late December and in January. But a problem with satsumas is that the fruit matures …

Psyllids and HLB in Georgia Citrus

Josh McGill Georgia, Psyllids

When commercial citrus acreage started migrating north some years ago, the big question was: To what extent would Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) and HLB migrate with the crop? With citrus getting well established in South Georgia, the pest and disease are there, but not yet at devastating levels like in Florida. Johnathan Oliver, an assistant professor of fruit pathology with …

A Look at South Carolina Citrus

Josh McGill Cold Hardy, Research

Citrus has been making its way north in recent years. So far, growers in North Florida and Georgia have had success producing the crop, with only minor incursions of HLB, the disease that has been devastating in Florida’s traditional citrus production areas. The Southeast Regional Fruit & Vegetable Conference, held in Savannah earlier this month, included a citrus program for …

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Start a Farm Succession Plan Today

Josh McGill Land, Research

The numbers are staggering. Farmers older than 65 outnumber farmers under 35 by five to one. In the next 20 years, 70% of U.S. farmland will change ownership. Seventy-seven percent of that land will transfer to relatives. That means succession planning and estate planning should be major focuses for farm families in years to come. An industry survey showed that …

Growers Discuss Priorities for 2023 Farm Bill

Josh McGill Agriculture, Farm Bill, Legislative

The 2018 Farm Bill is set to expire in 2023, so preparations are underway to craft the behemoth legislation into law sometime next year. However, it is common for negotiations to extend into the following year. Whether the new farm bill is passed in 2023 or 2024, there’s a lot of work ahead. The farm bill was the focus of …

Fertilizer Price Spike Highest Since Great Recession

Josh McGill Economics, Regulation

During January’s Southeast Regional Fruit & Vegetable Conference in Savannah, Georgia, Daniel Tregeagle, an Extension economist with North Carolina State University, gave a presentation on economic and regulatory trends impacting citrus and specialty crop growers. MODEST MARKET GROWTHThe biggest blip on the proverbial economic radar has been COVID-19 and its continuing effects. Tregeagle noted these impacts mostly will be transient, …

Florida Citrus Nutrition Recommendations to Be Updated

Josh McGill Florida, Nutrition

The Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference held in Savannah in early January included a session on citrus production to educate growers. Kelly Morgan, professor of soil fertility and water management with the University of Florida, spoke to attendees about newly updated production guides and their relationship to plant nutrition and HLB. Morgan noted that the third edition of the …

Advice for Using Soil Moisture Sensors

Tacy Callies Irrigation, Technology

Proper irrigation management is key to optimize water use and increase crop yield. Water is a limiting factor in Florida citrus production during most of the year due to extremely sandy soils with low water-holding capacity and non-uniform distribution of rainfall. Soil moisture sensor systems may provide the most reliable data for effective citrus irrigation scheduling under these conditions. Rad …

Georgia Citrus Up-and-Coming

Tacy Callies Citrus

By Ernie Neff Georgia’s fledgling citrus industry recently formed the state’s first citrus association with a retired federal law enforcement agent leading the way. “We are pioneers in this,” says Lindy Savelle, president of the Georgia Citrus Association (GCA). Indeed they are pioneers. Extension agent Jake Price for Lowndes County, Georgia, reports that about 40 growers had 150 citrus acres …