Browse Field Crops Stories - Page 3

Led by increases in forestry and livestock values, Georgia’s agricultural output increased by $484 million in 2014, making agriculture, once again, the largest industry in the state with a value of $14.1 billion. According to the most recent University of Georgia Farmgate Value Report, published earlier this month, the value of Georgia’s livestock and aquaculture industries increased by almost 36 percent from 2013.

Women own 13.6 percent of America’s active farms and their farms produce almost $13 billion worth of goods each year. Just like male farmers, they need access to business and technical information to help make their farms successful. But while many pride themselves on not needing a “women’s only” class on how to work the land or run a business, many other women simply feel more comfortable learning around other female farmers.

From vineyards and vegetable patches to state-of-the-art food processing and food safety operations, agriculture in northeast Georgia is made up of a large and diverse set of enterprises.

Farmers usually rush to get their crops to market to get the best price, but if stored properly, field corn held for eight to nine months brings higher prices than recently harvested corn, according to a University of Georgia expert.

A graduate of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is etched into Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition history.

More than 25 percent of Georgia-grown agricultural crops are exported to other countries and that percent is growing.

The changing climate is affecting trends in weather across the nation. As temperatures in the Southeast rise, farmers will have to adjust to longer growing seasons, more diseases and pests and to an increase in extreme weather conditions, says a University of Georgia expert.

Wayne County farmer Jonny Harris noticed long ago that feeding winter cover crops to his cattle improves their diet, his fields and his bottom line. He wanted to show other southeastern Georgia farmers they can reap the same benefits, but he knew he needed more evidence than decades of personal experience.

Keeping herbicides from drifting off target is the law and “it’s the neighborly thing to do,” says a University of Georgia weed specialist.

UGA Extension will present a workshop for would-be small farmers on March 14 on the Central Georgia Technical College campus in Milledgeville.