Author Archives: John Holcomb

A Look at Aquaculture and Georgia’s Coastal Oysters

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Savannah, GA |

While shrimping has been a staple of the Georgia coast for more than a century, there could be a new player in town thanks to the husband-and-wife team of Laura and Perry Solomon. Coming off their first harvest season, the Tybee Oyster Company is a culmination of an idea years in the making.

“Actually, in college, we would come down here on the weekends and go harvest wild oysters. So, to us, they’re a taste of home. I mean, it never really occurred to us that people wouldn’t think the same. They’re a lot harder to get when you have to go stand in the mud and pick ax them, but they’re a taste of home for us. They’re a phenomenal oyster. So, we’re really excited to see it on a plate in restaurants,” says Laura Solomon, Tybee Oyster Company.

One of the reasons for their success is all the time and effort that goes into maintaining this floating oyster farm throughout the year. It’s a production practice that allows for more quality control without sacrificing any of the nutrition.

“Floating oyster farm just means that instead of the oysters growing wild in the banks in clumps, they’re actually floating on the surface of the water. And depending on what region you’re in, different areas do it slightly differently. But for us, they sit in that top part of the water column where all the nutrients and algae are flowing through. We have a lot of wave energy on our lease,” says Solomon.

The Tybee Oyster Company is a pioneer when it comes to promoting the oyster industry here in Georgia, as it is the first of what is likely to become many such businesses along the coast.

“2019 there was legislation passed asking the DNR to create a framework for farmed oysters. The first leases were issued in 2022 and were the first lease holders farming. And that began in 2023. So, from a regulator standpoint it’s been a of a slow road, but with the support we’re seeing, I think it’s going to kind of take-off pretty quickly,” says Solomon.

Another reason for optimism is the acclaim these oysters are already receiving from both restaurants and their customers for its unique taste that can only be achieved by growing them here on the Bull River.

“We call them salt bombs. That is an apt name. They are very briny with kind of a sweet finish in the adductor muscle, but in addition to the brininess, you can see the local spartina grass that’s everywhere. So, they do have kind of that lemongrass note you’ll pick up on. They’re definitely not as minerally as an oyster from the Northeast and it’s really cool. You talk about wine and how it tastes based on where it’s grown, oysters are very similar to that,” says Solomon.

While it’s that taste of home that initially drew the Solomons into the oyster business, it’s their drive and passion for producing locally sustainable and eco-friendly seafood that motivates them every day.

“We are into sustainability and helping to support our ecosystem for the next generations. Oysters are great food source to do that. They’re one of the greenest proteins on the planet. So, that’s one motivation. Another is we’re passionate that local food is kind of the last standing souvenir in an economy when you can buy anything from anywhere. You travel and you have local food, or you grow up in an area and have local food, it’s a lot more meaningful in this day and age. So, we wanted to get Georgia Seafood back on the menus,” says Solomon

By: Damon Jones.

Cattle Producers Navigate Inventory Challenges

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Atlanta, GA |

According to the USDA, for the first time since 1951, the US Cattle inventory has dropped to its lowest point as producers across the country deal with a plethora of issues such as record high input costs mixed with harsh droughts that left many producers in a bind.

“A lot of that has to do with weather. The fact that much of the U.S. was in drought for a large part of last year caused a significant amount here in Georgia, especially in Northwest and Southwest Georgia. We had a lot of producers that had to start feeding hay significantly earlier than what they would normally do, and that’s caused a lot of additional culling, but also it was an increase in prices that we saw. We have a lot of producers that are able to take that opportunity,” says Dale Sandlin, Executive Vice President of the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association.

As a result, Sandlin says cattle prices will be on the rise in the coming months, however, the question is whether or not producers will be able to hold on for those higher prices as expenses are higher than ever.

“One of the effects that that our cattle producers here are going to have to look at is can they afford to feed these cattle and hold on to them long enough to take advantage of the higher prices? They’re projecting that the prices will stick around somewhere through 2025 and possibly even into 2026, depending on the build up, but a large number of producers are having to deal with higher input costs they saw last year. That’s weighing in on the profits that they received on that this last batch of cattle. So, if they’re able to hold on to them and feed them longer, I think those producers will be rewarded for those efforts,” says Sandlin.

Sandlin believes that for those producers that can hold on and don’t sell out, it will give them the opportunity to improve their herds, as they can focus on rebuilding, but says that will also be contingent upon the weather and forage quality returning back to normal.

“I think we’re going to see a measured approach coming back from this lower inventory number. It’ll take longer to rebuild the herd, and a large portion of that, too, is going to be the weather. If we don’t get good rains here in Georgia and we don’t have forage increasing, we’re not going to see a lot of producers that are quick to go back and rebuild the herd. One of the things that you’ll see for this generation of producers that are in it for the long haul, they’re going to be taking the higher prices and profits that they received on that and putting that back into the into their farms and operations. That’s setting up the next generation for quite a bit of success in doing that. The trick is being able to do that in coupling with higher input costs as well as making things work. You’re also seeing a lot of culling of the herds right now, largely dependent on the quality of the cattle that they’ve got. And so while those producers have got a little a little bit extra funds in their pocket, now they’re taking this opportunity to improve the herds, improve their genetics, to reconsider some of their stock and breeding stock and making sure that they’re setting up that operation for the long future,” says Sandlin.

By: John Holcomb

Georgia’s Citrus Industry is Flourishing Despite Challenges

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Tifton, GA |

In Tifton recently, citrus growers gathered for their annual conference; a time of fellowship and education, as growers and experts work to lay the groundwork that will help keep the industry a thriving one in the state for years to come.

“It’s our 7th conference, and we have speakers from California, Florida, of course, Georgia coming to talk about the future of the citrus industry in Georgia. Previously, during our conferences, we’ve talked about growing the industry and we’ve kind of surpassed that mark. We know we’re growing and we continue to grow. So, now we’re just looking to the future about what we can do about diseases and the prevention of the spread of diseases and pests and so forth. So, we’re kind of laying the groundwork for what we need to do next,” says Lindy Savelle, President of the Georgia Citrus Association.

In the last several years, the state’s citrus industry has seen a huge interest and growth. Today, Savelle says growth has slowed a bit, but says the industry is continuing to flourish with new varieties starting to be grown.

“Georgia, primarily when we first began this industry in 2013, 14, 15, was primarily Satsumas, and what we realized is that we were saturating with a two-month window of citrus in Georgia, and we needed to flatten that curve out and plant something that comes in earlier or something that would come in later. That’s what we’re seeing. We’re seeing now that there’s about 65, 67 percent satsumas in Georgia, which is good. We’re seeing growth in plantings of tangos, chirinui, grapefruit, and other mandarins as well. So that’s where we’re headed,” says Savelle.

However, with that growth, comes concern, as the threat of disease still looms, such as citrus greening, a disease that has devasted Florida’s citrus industry and is a disease producers in Georgia are desperate to prevent.

“HLB is a billion dollar problem to have. As you’ve seen in Florida, the citrus industry, their production has gone down almost eighty percent. So HLB, it takes a couple of years but it can completely kill the tree as it is a bacterial disease, it clogs up all the plant conduit where the nutrients flow from one part to other so it can really kill the entire tree. Your fruit quality will be deteriorated and the overall plant health will be deteriorated. So, eventually the plant would die in a couple of years. So, it is really serious and as I said, it is transmitted by insects. So, once you have one plant in the grove, if you do not manage the psyllids and also do not uproot that tree, it can eventually take out the entire grove. However many acres you have,” says Apurba Barman, an Entomology Professor at UGA.

By: John Holcomb

Will High Beef Prices Stick Around?

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Athens, GA |

It’s been sticker shock for customers browsing the beef section of their local grocery store over the past few years with prices reaching record high levels. That trend is likely to continue this year with inventory taking a dip.

“So, in 2024, cattle prices should be very high. We should continue to see the trend that we saw in 2023 where we saw prices continually higher year over year. In 2024, we expect that to continue where we see prices higher year over year,” says Will Secor, Extension Livestock Economist.

However, that had yet to curb the demand. In fact, the amount of beef being eaten domestically continues to rise.

“Despite those really high beef prices, we actually see consumers consuming more beef per person in the US. We have pretty similar real prices, normal prices for beef in the retail sector for the past couple of years as say maybe where we were in 2014 or so. We’re actually consuming a few more pounds per person in the US,” says Secor.

As for when consumers can expect to see a bit of relief on the prices, that won’t be for quite some time with herd contraction predicted to continue.

“We’re expecting probably about a ten year to eleven-year cycle on average when we look at the history of cattle inventory numbers. What that means is we just hit year ten. So, we’re going to be moving into year eleven in 2025. So, we expect probably sometime around 2025 for those numbers to bottom out and start to move higher form there,” says Secor.

Just how high those prices get might determine the future of the cattle market.

“Once we start see beef prices this high, we’re really kind of testing the consumer’s willingness and ability to pay for beef. The question mark is, especially if we hit any kind of macroeconomic concerns like a recession or higher unemployment, then we might start to see the consumer start to pull back from beef and maybe go to other cheaper protein alternatives such as chicken or pork,” says Secor.

With all those economic uncertainties, cattlemen could mitigate some of that risk by taking advantage of the current prices.

“Cut costs where you can, but don’t cut corners. Then, also think about with these high prices, where are opportunities to lock in and protect from any kind of downside price risk. So, thinking about all the different price risk management strategies that they can take advantage of, what fits their operation and how can they use those to manage some of those risks and take advantage of these higher prices,” says Secor.

By: Damon Jones

Unlocking Georgia’s Agritourism Revolution

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Peachtree City, GA |

With the goal of supporting local farms and spreading the story of agriculture, the GFB Certified Farm Markets program has seen their number of participating farms skyrocket over the past few years, providing a snapshot of the diversity of operations that can be found here in the state.

“This year, we have a hundred farms across the state of Georgia that invite you to come and visit them to see what they do. No two are alike. So, we have everything from farms like Alo Farms, who is hydroponic, to row crops, to hog farms, to farms that do both vegetables and beautiful flowers,” says Kelly Henry, GFB Certified Farm Market Coordinator.

To help guide you through all of these different choices is the GFB Farm Passport, which not only provides a detailed description of the more than one hundred operations, but also rewards for paying them a visit.

“You take your farm passport with you and just like if you’re visiting another country, you get stamps. Your stamps earn you prizes at the end of the year. Five is a T-shirt. Ten is Ag swag. Twenty is a farm to table dinner and tour, our signature event of the year. And then, thirty is goodies from the farm,” says Henry.

It’s not just the visitors that benefit from this program, but also the farms that are involved like Alo Farms, a unique operation in Peachtree City.

“We joined a few years ago and it’s just been an amazing partnership. All the participants in the stamp program are just excited to be here. They have great questions. We love being able to share and talk with them about the farm. So, it brings a lot of enthusiastic customers who appreciate agriculture and what it takes to run and operate a farm. It’s brought us a lot of local people who didn’t know we were here,” says Alec Brown – GM of Alo Farms. “So, Alo Farms is a family owned and operated company. My dad, Jefferson, he’s an architect, and he started our farm about 15 years ago on the design and innovation side as a means to address food insecurity on a large scale and specifically in urban environments. So, our commercial farm right now is less than 20 thousand square feet. We’ll out produce about 75-125 acres worth in soil of the same types of crops.”

This is just one of the many agritourism destinations that will be featured in the new, 2024 Farm Passport when it’s released in less than a month.

“Kickoff is exciting every year, March 16th and will run all the way through the year. So, we even get those Christmas tree farms in at the end of the year. So, if you haven’t gotten your passport yet, you can start it at any of the participating farms found at gfb.ag/passport. You can also pick one up at any of your local county Farm Bureau offices,” says Henry.

By: Damon Jones

Georgia Federal-State Inspection Service’s Important Role within the Peanut Industry

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Ty Ty, GA |

Each Fall, all across the state, peanuts are dug up, harvested, and taken to buying points that will shell them and market them to their final destination. However, an important part of that process is what’s called grading, which is completed by the Georgia Federal-State Inspection service, that ensures both the grower and shellers receive a non-biased grade that’s used to make sure all parties get compensated fairly.

“We’re an organization founded in 1927 to be a non-biased third party between the buyer and the producer. Mostly in Georgia it’s peanuts, but it’s different commodities also. What we really do is we ensure that the buyer isn’t paying too much for the peanuts and the producer is getting a fair amount for the peanuts as well. So, our organization doesn’t lean toward one side or the other. We’re here to be a nonbiased party,” says Willie Musselwhite, District Manager for the GA Federal-State Inspection Service.

According to Musselwhite, the job is one that’s taken very seriously, as they strive for uniformity so that it’s an equal playing field for everyone, which is why when they take samples from each truck, they work it in a very methodical way to ensure it’s done properly and consistently.

“To the farmer, he wants to get paid. He worked very hard to produce this product and he wants to get paid the ultimate price for his profit. So, once we are going in there and determine the grade, it really determines how much the farmer’s getting paid for his peanuts. So, if it grades really high, he wants a premium grade for his peanuts, but on the other hand, if it were to grade a lower grade, the buyer would not want to pay that premium price for it. So, what we’re doing is we’re telling the farmer, and the buyer; this this is what you have. We don’t set the prices for them, USDA and the buyers, they set the prices, but whatever grade it has that determines the price on the peanut,” says Musselwhite.

Musselwhite says that the grading process is also important because it can help further improve peanut production here in Georgia as it gives researchers, breeders, and growers information that can be useful in the future.

“Georgia produces technically 50 percent of nation’s peanuts and we strive every year to produce different varieties; University of Georgia, yield better yields and make higher quality peanuts. So, we do the research through grading, different trials and all that they’re trying to make a better product. Because after a while, the problems you have now, it fails to grade what it was . We’re always having different things come out the university system and different geneticists are making it happen. It’s very important for the peanut industry to have to have somebody doing that because it’ll provide more income for the farmers in the long run and a better quality peanut for the shellers, the candymakers, and the industry in general,” says Musselwhite.

By: John Holcomb

Another Planting Season with Expected Challenges

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Tifton, GA |

With net farm income once again projected to fall in 2024, growers around Georgia are once again facing the task with doing more with less heading into planting season. And that is especially true for two of the state’s most important crops.

“Certainly cotton margins are going to be really tight in terms of cotton. Cost of production is still high. It has come down since 2023 but it’s still high and cotton prices are down really because global demand is down for cotton and cotton products. So, the outlook is not for much growth there just because of the overall slowdown of the global economy. For peanuts, I think they just need to be careful to watch how many total acres are planted. We had a big increase in acres planted for the US last year. So, we don’t need to see a repeat in that size percentage increase,” says Amanda Smith, Extension Economist with the University of Georgia.

Despite the fact that prices for fertilizer, fuel and pesticides have leveled off, the costs of growing and harvesting crops are once again expected to reach record levels thanks in large part to an expense many don’t associate with farming.

“They’re having to pay interest rates on that operating note. The reason that interest rates are a big issue is because they’ve changed so much really rapidly. So, 2022 interest rates were probably around five percent or so. 2023, we’re looking about 8.75, 7.5 percent. There’s not going to be a change to the downside for 2024. So, interest expenses basically, are nearly doubled from one year to the next. That’s a big change when you’re talking about margins that are usually pretty thin anyways,” says Smith.

With that in mind, there is one major expense growers around the state should pay particularly close attention to when setting their budget for the upcoming season.

“One big thing that they need to be looking at this year is how much they are paying for land rent because we can see looking at the budgets and estimated costs that we are projecting, that there’s opportunities to have a positive cash flow on owned land but it might be more difficult on rented land depending on how high that cash rent is per acre,” says Smith.

So, while the outlook might not be exactly what farmers were hoping for, there are some steps they can take to help weather the storm. And it all begins with planning ahead.

“Take a look at the tools that are available for you. There’s enterprise budgets available online, a crop comparison tool that extension puts together. Take a look at that. Plug in your costs and your yields so you can have an idea of what your cost of production is per acre. Then, see if you can forward price at prices above that. So, keep an eye on the market. Be in touch with your buyers and see when you can take opportunities to make sure that you’ve got a positive margin,” says Smith.

By: Damon Jones

A Look Inside Georgia’s Food Testing Lab

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Atlanta, GA |

Each and every day, farmers and producers work hard to produce food that will be feeding the state, country, and even world, which is why it’s vitally important that it’s processed and kept properly, which is where the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s testing lab comes into play.

“The labs are testing general food safety; microbiology lab, retail food, manufactured food. So, our inspectors are out in these places making sure that food is safe and that folks are doing what they’re supposed to, but they’re also going to take a sample at that point to verify what they’re seeing and what they’re hearing as part of their inspection process. What our labs are going to do is take that sample and test it for generally quality or other consumer protection items. Are there pathogens on it? If so, what are they so we can get that out of commerce, we can get it out of someone’s food line so no one gets sick,” says Dr. Carrie Crabtree, Laboratory Division Director.

Crabtree says they are primarily testing for three main pathogens; Salmonella, E Coli, and listeria – three of the most harmful bacteria for humans to consume.

“The reason we’re doing that is that all of those are known pathogens that can make someone sick very quickly. From your very young to your very old and then everybody in between. So what we’re going to do is make sure that any food that might have that, which these are natural bacteria in the environment, these things can get in there from many different ways if it’s there. We’re getting it out of the grocery stores, we’re getting it out of manufacturing so that someone is not exposed to these and get very sick. These pathogens can cause outbreaks, they can cause a lot of people to get very sick, very quickly. So, we’re going to make sure that we’re testing to protect food in all walks of life from having those in there,” says Crabtree.

According to Crabtree, it’s important that they work to be proactive, rather than reactive, as the consequences of an outbreak can often be severe.

“Prevention, we do that by having inspectors in many different places, so from where food is manufactured to the point you can pick it out at the grocery store to make sure we’re not on the back end because if folks have already eaten it, if they’re already sick, then we may not be able to find it at that point. We may not be able to find the link and solve the issue if there some temperature control or some other environmental aspect that we could help control or fix. So by being in the front, being on the prevention side, we can get it off shelves very quickly. We can get that control fixed, assist those manufacturers, assist those retailers with not having the issue. Again, the back side of being reactive is, you miss a lot of things; you miss getting that out, getting the public informed, getting recalls issued if that’s going to be the case. Folks are already sick, you may have already had some fatalities, unfortunately, and we want to be in front of that, not reacting to it in the back,” says Crabtree.

By: John Holcomb

2024 Peach Harvest More Crucial Than Ever

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Byron, GA |

Typically, this is the scene at peach processing plants across Georgia in May, as the state is responsible for more than one hundred and thirty million pounds of peaches each year. However, that was not the case in 2023, as a late freeze cut that number by more than ninety percent. That makes this year’s crop more important than ever, and so far, Mother Nature has cooperated.

“It’s a very important year. Hopefully years like last year is extremely rare. It was thirty years before that since we had such a drastic peach crop, but hopefully this year, so far so good. The weather’s been good and let’s just hope that continues. In terms of chill this year, we’re pretty close to 800 hours and looking at some other models, dynamic models, the equivalency is even more than that. So, we’re pretty happy so far. Right now, we just want it to stay cool and not have a lot of hot weather and force those blooms out because once it warms up, the trees will be blooming,” says Lee Dickey, Vice President of Dickey Farms.

However, that is not the main concern right now, as the process of pruning these trees is officially underway. And while it might be an overlooked step in the process, it’s no less important as it paves the way for a successful crop.

“You want to have plenty of space. One is sunlight. You want to cut out some of the limbs that are in the middle to allow for the sunlight to come in. Some of it is just dead wood that’s in the way, it’s problematic, also the shape of the tree, you don’t want the peaches too high or too low, so when you do come in and harvest, it’s efficient. So, it’s really kind of the best and most efficient way to kind of shape that tree and to eliminate some of the excess wood and peaches on that tree,” says Dickey.

That job is even more difficult this year as the lack of peach growth last season has resulted in some early challenges.

“It wasn’t a big crop of peaches so a lot of that growth went into the tree. So, probably a little bit more wood on the tree than maybe you would want, so a little bit bigger pruning job this year but overall, the trees look healthy and looking forward to this crop year,” says Dickey.

Pruning is just the first of many steps involved with producing the state’s signature fruit. And the majority of those are done before the buds even start to bloom.

“From basically the beginning of the year up until harvest, tremendous amount of activity. We’re out here, we’re pruning the trees, getting them ready to soon fertilize, some probably in the next three weeks to a month. Then thinning will start and that will be your biggest pre harvest expense. So, when the trees are maybe between the size of a nickel and a quarter, you’ll come out and remove those excess peaches. Maybe there’s eight hundred or a thousand little, tiny peaches on the tree and maybe you want three or four hundred on the tree. So, you’re really reducing a significant amount of the peaches on the tree so that the ones that remain will size and be large, and that’s what the consumers are looking for,” says Dickey.

By: Damon Jones

Ag Issues Heat Up Under the Gold Dome

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Atlanta, GA |

In Atlanta, legislators are hard at work under the Gold Dome, as they’ve officially passed the halfway mark, chugging along towards Sine Die. This year, just like any year, ag is a big topic of discussion, as there are a number of issues being debated. One issue is regarding wildlife nuisance; an issue that’s been causing farmers and producers all over the state a lot of grief the last few years, such as feral hogs, vultures, and in more recent years, white tail deer.

“Wildlife nuisance is definitely been something that our farmers have experienced for a long time across all commodities. It kind of depends what commodity you’re talking about, which wildlife continues to be the nuisance, right? Feral hogs or wild pigs tend to be the first thing that comes to people’s mind, when they think of a wildlife nuisance, but also black vultures and cattle; whatever it might be, there tends to be some kind of wildlife that affects daily farming operation,” says Adam Belflower, Governmental Affairs Specialist for Georgia Farm Bureau. “However, the issue arises when like the feral hog situation, the damage that the farmer is occurring due to wildlife nuisance is just unsustainable. Kind of the new wildlife nuisance we’ve seen in this front is white tail deer. So, deer have been impacting our row crop farmers, specifically cotton farmers, very, very substantially the past few years.”

According to Belflower, the damage being caused by deer keeps getting worse, as a survey conducted last Fall showed that a large percentage of those surveyed continue to see increased damage to their crops from deer every year.

“We surveyed roughly 350 farmers across the state to kind of get their input on deer nuisance. One of the big findings we had of that survey was ninety percent of the people surveyed said, year after year, over the past five years, deer nuisance has gotten worse. Out of those, ten percent who did not say it has gotten worse said it stayed the same. So, over the past five years, no farmer had experienced a decrease in wildlife nuisance from deer, which is pretty substantial and very eye opening to the issues,” says Bellflower.

Another issue this legislative session is regarding the foreign ownership of land; an issue Belflower says is a matter of food security, as it will keep countries that are designated as foreign adversaries from owning land used for production agriculture.

“Basically what this bill does is it seeks to ensure that our farmland that we use, our productive farmland to produce the food, the fiber, the shelter that Georgians and Americans rely on is protected from those who are adversarial to our country, who maybe don’t have the same beliefs as us, maybe don’t have the same desires for us. They maybe don’t want to see our country flourish the same way we would like to see our country flourish. That’s been a lot of the motivation for this legislation from the legislature in the General Assembly and other interested parties; we recognize that these nations are not friendly to us and we do not want these nations that are not friendly to us getting a grip on some of our productive farmland and the resources we use to feed and clothe our people,” says Bellflower.

You can keep up with these issues and learn more about others by going to GFB.org.

By: John Holcomb