Southeast
Gotham Greens to double capacity, expand to Texas, Georgia
Indoor farming specialist Gotham Greens said March 29 it plans to double the size of its greenhouse capacity this year to more than 1.2 million square feet, including its first two greenhouses in the South.... more »
Florida ag producers get disaster declaration from USDA
The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) announced March 22 the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) disaster designation for 17 counties and 10 contiguous counties impacted by the freezing temperatures that occurred from Jan. 23-31.... more »
Vidalia Onion Committee names Grower of the Year
The Vidalia Onion Committee 2021 awards banquet honored McLain Farms and long-time Director of Markets for the Georgia Department of Agriculture Bob Meyer. McLain Farms was named the 2021 "Grower of the Year" and Meyer... more »
North Carolina Tomato Growers Association offering scholarship
The North Carolina Tomato Growers Association is offering a $1,000 merit/need-based scholarship for the 2022-2023 academic year. Any North Carolina resident who pursues a horticulture or agribusiness undergraduate or graduate degree at a four-year North... more »
NC Crop Loss Program now includes losses from April 2021 freeze
The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Agricultural Crop Loss Program has been expanded to include farmers in six western counties that suffered freeze or frost damage to their agricultural commodities from April 2... more »
Southeast ag industry compliance hike sought by DOL
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division is continuing its multi-year education and enforcement initiative to increase compliance with federal labor laws in the Southeast’s agricultural industry. In addition to enforcement activity, the initiative provides... more »
Florida tomato growers bolstered by decision on imported product
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) released a statement March 11 after the U.S Department of Commerce rejected a request by importers of Mexican tomatoes to exempt certain greenhouse-grown specialty tomatoes from the 2019 U.S.-Mexico Tomato Suspension Agreement,... more »
Farm labor contractor to pay $249,000 in back wages, penalties
A federal judge approved a settlement with a Frostproof farm labor contractor – Jose M. Gracia Harvesting Inc. – who the U.S. Department of Labor found shortchanged workers and failed to provide them with safe... more »