There has been quite a bit of press on the impacts of climate on crops around the Southeast in the press lately. Here are some of the stories I’ve seen.
1. Heavy Rains Delaying Crop Planting—Growing Georgia–May 1
Heavy rains across the Southeast have caused a lot of problems for farmers trying to get fields planted. In some cases acreage was reduced; in others, farmers switched to different crops with shorter growing seasons. The dry weather this week across the Southeast should help farmers get caught up, although the planting delays are worrisome for fall harvesting.
2. Demand Low as Florida Ships High Corn Volume—The Packer–April 29
Florida farmers are shipping high volumes of sweet corn to the Northeast, but a cold spring has reduced demand for the product this year, depressing prices.
3. Florida shipping peaches, Georgia to see later season start—The Packer–April 25
Florida peach growers are expected to continue shipping peaches into May. The Georgia harvest this year has been delayed by late frosts which damaged early production and should hit its peak in mid-June, later than usual. Georgia is expected to harvest only about 30 percent of its usual May amount.
