Crops
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If you like beer (and I do, since I am from Wisconsin), you may be interested in this story by National Public Radio about a lesser-known reformation led by Martin Luther–the movement to put hops in beer instead of herbs. Nowadays, hoppy beers are all the rage, but at the time of the Reformation 500…
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Drovers’ Newsletter posted a story today that describes the accumulated costs of Hurricane Harvey on Texas agriculture. The major financial impacts of the storm were due to losses of cotton and losses to livestock. The new estimates include both the costs of animals killed in the storm and the costs of damage to infrastructure like…
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Brown marmorated stink bugs are an invasive pest which causes a lot of mid-summer damage to many Southeastern crops, but especially to fruit orchards. A recent study which looked at the likely range of stink bugs in a warmer climate shows that the bugs may migrate to the north and out of the Southeast in…
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In the past three years, olive growers in Europe have experienced blistering heat, heavy rains and an untimely frost. All of these extreme weather events have reduced the production of olive oil from Italy and Spain, leaving buyers to look for new sources in places like Australia and New Zealand (and the Southeast?). The New…
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Here’s an interesting story about Dr. Brenda Ortiz, a colleague of mine at Auburn University who studies the impact of weather and climate on crops like wheat and corn. She has a new project with several other scientists in the Southeast to study the expansion of irrigation in Alabama. As the article points out, “In…
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Those who live in northern areas of the region should be watching carefully over the weekend as a blast of even colder air than this morning’s chilly breezes comes through the area. This is likely to bring freezing conditions to some areas. Tender plants and low-lying areas are most likely to feel the effects of…
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Cotton Grower magazine noted this week that Texas cotton growers in the Panhandle are worried about their cotton yields this fall after a cool summer reduced the heat units needed for development. Because of the delay in reaching maturity, they are now worried about the impact of fall frost, which could come as early as…