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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Georgia”
A yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina), which poses a threat to honeybees and other pollinators, was recently detected near Savannah, Georgia. This is the first time a live specimen of this species has been detected in the United States. Its presence was confirmed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA), in coordination with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant …
Citrus greening disease is no longer just a problem in residential trees in Georgia. For the first time last year, citrus greening, also known as huanglongbing or HLB, was observed in commercial plantings in Pierce, Wayne and Grady counties, says Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist. Oliver discussed the disease during a citrus meeting …
Meetings have become an integral part of the production process for Georgia citrus growers. The University of Georgia’s (UGA) most recent meeting allowed producers to hear from scientists about research pertaining to a growing industry in the region. Topics like changing weather patterns, rootstock research, HLB and the use of ethylene to degreen satsuma mandarins were presented during an Aug. …
The Georgia Citrus Commission members have been selected to serve the state’s up-and-coming industry. Now it is time for those five individuals to determine the pathway for the industry to be successful for the foreseeable future. Commission member Lindy Savelle believes research is the key component in advancing the state’s citrus industry. She said that is why the Georgia Citrus …
Characteristics of 30 varieties and 45 variety/rootstock combinations were reported in Evaluating Fruit Quality of Citrus Varieties in Georgia, 2021-22. Jacob Price, county Extension coordinator for Lowndes County and Extension citrus specialist with University of Georgia (UGA) Extension, authored the report. Price noted that most groves in Georgia were planted after 2014. Initially, satsuma mandarins (Citrus unshiu) on trifoliate rootstocks …
University of Georgia citrus Extension agent Jake Price recently estimated Georgia has reached a record-high of 570,760 citrus trees planted on 3,936 acres. Each year, Price estimates the number of citrus trees planted in Georgia. Calculating 2023 numbers has been a little different because of tree losses due to the December 2022 freeze. Of the 567 new acres of trees …
Georgia’s newly established Agricultural Commodity Commission for Citrus Fruits, known as the Georgia Citrus Commission, has its five members that are tasked with steering the course of the state’s citrus industry. The Commodity Commission Ex Officio Committee appointed the following members to the Georgia Citrus Commission: Each commission member has a minimum of 5 acres of citrus trees. Members will …
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff is leading the charge to support Georgia’s farmers and strengthen the state’s growing citrus industry. He introduced the Georgia Citrus Development Act of 2023to ensure Georgia citrus growers are represented when guiding key decisions for the industry. Sen. Ossoff’s bill would add a new Georgia member to the Citrus Disease Subcommittee (CDS), a national policy council …
Since Georgia’s citrus industry is still in its infancy, leaders are determined to educate growers about the resources that are available to them. With help from Lindy Savelle, president of the Georgia Citrus Association, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently hosted an event to share many of those resources with growers. The meet-and-greet workshop took place July 12 at …
The Georgia Citrus Association (GCA) recently announced several issues of importance to Georgia citrus growers: LAST CALL FOR COMMISSIONERSNominations for members of the Georgia Citrus Commission are due May 26 to the Georgia Department of Agriculture. The commission will help fund needs for the future of Georgia’s citrus industry. More information is available from Andy Harrison at andy.harrison@agr.georgia.gov. ACREAGE UPDATEGCA …
Growers interested in serving on the board of the Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Citrus should send in their nominations by May 26. The newly established Georgia Citrus Commission seeks five farmers who will serve on the board. Qualified growers must have a minimum of 5 acres of trees and will commit to serving a 3-year term with the option …
Georgia’s young, burgeoning citrus industry celebrated a win on April 18. Surrounded by specialty crop industry leaders, state representatives and a throng of interested parties, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed legislation to establish a state commodity commission for citrus. The signing took place at the Bainbridge campus of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. “In 2013, Georgia had 4,500 citrus trees. In …
U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) recently visited with Georgia citrus growers and industry leaders to learn more about the growing commodity in the state. He came away impressed with how citrus has blossomed in popularity in a short timeframe. “I’m excited about Georgia citrus,” Ossoff said. “This is relatively new that we have a fast-growing citrus sector in Georgia. Already, …
Researcher Apurba Barman recently reported that ambrosia beetles could be a potential concern following the December 2022 freeze event in the cold-hardy citrus region. Barman is an assistant professor of entomology with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences. Ambrosia beetles are small insects that bore holes into stressed trees. While they have been seen attacking young …
Georgia citrus farmers and industry leaders scored a legislative victory on Monday when the state Senate overwhelmingly passed the proposal to start a Georgia Citrus Commission. The win for the industry will come when Gov. Brian Kemp signs it into law. The legislation states, “There shall be an Agricultural Commodity Commission for Citrus Fruits established on July 1, 2023.” The …
The young, burgeoning Georgia citrus industry has its sights set on a bright future. Even in the midst of a challenging winter season with two major freeze events, the industry continues its upward trend, believes Lindy Savelle, president of the Georgia Citrus Association. She discussed the state of the Georgia citrus industry during the association’s annual meeting on Feb. 28 …
HLB has yet to become a major problem for Georgia’s citrus producers. Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia assistant professor and small fruits pathologist, attributes the disease’s lack of presence in Georgia’s commercial groves to multiple factors. “It still comes down to the fact that, number one, you don’t see symptoms for a while. A lot of our trees are young,” …
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 …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Georgia is reminding farmers and landowners of the assistance it offers in the wake of a freeze. The state’s citrus industry suffered damage during the five-night freeze that occurred in late December. The FSA programs are the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) and the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP). …
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) specialists are alerting Georgia citrus growers about an invasive pest that’s impacting Florida’s crop. Lebbeck mealybugs have yet to navigate their way to Georgia. But it is only a matter of time, says Lauren Diepenbrock, UF/IFAS assistant professor and entomologist. “It’ll get up to Georgia probably. We’re doing our best …
