Publications

Organic food production is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the American food marketplace and is driven largely by personal health preferences and environmental ethics. Pecan production generates unique challenges to organic production methods in the humid Southeastern U.S. because it is an environment conducive to heavy pressure from insects, diseases, and weeds. Therefore, the foundation of any organic pecan production program in the Southeastern U.S. will be based on selection for pest-resistant cultivars.

A grower survey was carried out in January 2023 during the annual blueberry update event held in Alma, Georgia. Survey responses were collected from 26 growers from eight Georgia counties. The results indicated the cultivar preference of south Georgia growers and major production constraints of blueberry production in southeast Georgia.

In Georgia, there are many small-scale producers that largely use ecological production practices, such as Certified Organic, and sell in farmers markets or other direct marketing channels. As these direct markets begin to saturate, these producers may need to forge a path beyond direct markets to wholesale or institutional markets that want sustainable products. Food hubs may offer a path for these small farms to scale up. There are three overlapping forms of food hubs in Georgia. Each has different markets and thus different requirements for the producers who sell to them. This publication discusses the types of food hubs in Georgia and gives producers guidelines on which form of food hub may work best for them.

This report provides research and extension results for trials conducted by the University of Georgia Vegetable Team and its collaborators in 2023. Contributing authors include county and regional faculty as well as specialists from UGA's horticulture, plant pathology, crop and soil sciences, and entomology departments. All research has been supported by the Georgia Commodity Commission for Vegetables.

This temporary publication has been replaced by the permanent Extension Bulletin 1577. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of more than 9,000 manmade synthetic chemicals that have been in use worldwide since 1940, primarily in industry and numerous commercial and consumer products. The widespread use of PFAS for the past several decades has raised concerns due to their persistence, bioaccumulative nature, and potential adverse health effects. This publication accumulates information about the background, uses, and environmental and human health consequences of PFAS chemicals.