Crops
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AgWeb had an interesting article this week on predicting corn yields based on past years. One way to do this is to use analog years that are similar to this year and see what happened. In the article, they used 1972-73, 1982-83 and 1997-98. Using the analog method, they showed that in two of the three…
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The Packer reported that supplies of green peppers and squash are returning to normal after a January where wind and rain destroyed up to 50 percent of the pepper crop and cool temperatures slowed the growth of squash. More favorable weather in recent weeks has allowed production of the two crops to improve and supplies…
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Clint Thompson of UGA released a story this week (printed here in Growing Georgia) on the impact of the wet conditions caused by El Niño on corn planting across the region. Rain has been plentiful in parts of Georgia this winter due to frequent storms passing through the area dropping rain and snow. Since Georgia…
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The Southeast Farm Press reported earlier this month that the 2015 tobacco crop was a near disaster to producers. Fewer plants than usual were planted and the market was down, but the real culprit was bad weather in many of the tobacco-growing areas of Kentucky and North Carolina. Wet conditions followed by drought and a…
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The Packer reported this week that supplies of strawberries from California and Florida should be good going into Easter this year (link). In a separate article they also reported that although Florida’s supplies of early blueberries were limited due to poor winter weather, supplies of later blueberries, including those from Georgia, should be good (link).
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The Fruit Growers News reported this week that Alabama peach growers are concerned about the lack of chill hours this year. You can read the article at https://fruitgrowersnews.com/news/alabama-peach-growers-hope-for-cooler-weather/. Some of the problems with the lack of chill hours are a reduction in fruit set and a longer bloom period, which could mean that at harvest growers…
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The Great Falls Tribune reported this week on the results of a new study released by the Montana Farmers Union on how changing climate will affect ranching and farming in Montana in the coming years. You can read the article here or the full report here. The article says “The report projects a 20 percent drop in…