Category: General
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Is There A Shortage of Vegetable Seed This Spring?
From Clemson Plant Pathologist Dr. Tony Keinath. Last week I listened to a panel assembled by The National Garden Bureau discuss this topic. Panelists included employees from Johnny’s, Seminis (Bayer), Harris, Syngenta, Jung, and Botanical Interests seed companies. The short answer to the seed shortage question was yes, 3 to 7% of cultivars—especially cultivars new…
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COVID-19 Ag Impact Survey Re-Lauch
Earlier in 2020 we asked fruit and vegetable producers to respond to a short survey on their experiences with COVID 19. As the pandemic is ongoing and we are close to starting a new season, we are re-launching the survey to understand what happened over the last full year and what changes are being implemented…
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2021 Value Added Producer Grants from the USDA
The USDA is accepting applications for Value Added Producer Grants. The applications are due by March 22, 2021. Click below for the application templates. According to the application, “The purpose of the Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) Program is to help U.S. agricultural producers enter into value-added activities. Awards may be made for either economic planning…
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2021 SE Vegetable Crop Handbook Now Available
The 2021 Southeastern US Vegetable Crop Handbook is now available online. Click here to access the online copy. Hard copies are on the way and will be distributed by your local Extension Agent when they arrive.
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Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2
From the Farm Service Agency. Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 for Specialty Crop Producers More than 230 fruit, vegetable, horticulture, and tree nut commodities are eligible for USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2) along with honey, maple sap, floriculture and nursery crops. Check to see if the crops you grow are eligible through…
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COVID Ag Impact Survey
Clemson Cooperative Extension is inviting you to participate in a research study. The purpose of this research is to collect information on the impacts of COVID-19 on the agricultural industry and understand the effects (positive and negative) on specialty crop and direct marketing farms in South Carolina. The South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) is a…
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If You Receive Seeds in the Mail that You Didn’t Order, Don’t Open Them!
Small packages of seeds have started showing up in the mail around the country, including in SC, and no one is sure why. The packages appear to be from China and that’s about all we know at this time. The SCDA and Clemson’s Department of Plant Industry are investigating, as is the USDA. Since we…
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USDA Hurricane Preparation and Recovery Guides for SC Producers
Hurricane season is upon us and the USDA has recently come out with a series of Hurricane Preparation and Recovery Guides for SC Producers. There is (or will soon be) a guide for just about every type of crop and agricultural commodity including: Fruit Tree Produce (Peaches, Pecans, Apples, etc.) – Coming Soon Onions –…
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Bob Hall Named Swisher Sweets Farmer of the Year for SC
Bob Hall of Bush-N-Vine Farm in York, SC is this year’s Swisher Sweets Farmer of the Year for South Carolina. He was nominated by Upstate Clemson Extension Agent, Andy Rollins. Rollins said of Hall, “I am so proud of him and all his family for all they have done to make their farm and community…
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Update to Small Business Administration COVID-19 Related Loans
From the Clemson Extension Agribusiness Team. The Small Business Administration (SBA) has been administering two particular pots of money that businesses have been able to access during the COVID-19 pandemic. These pots of money were first funded through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) and are called the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)…
The South Carolina Grower 