New plantings growing tall in Georgia

Take a drive around South and Middle Georgia and one cannot help but notice the amount of new pecan tree plantings and development in the pecan industry. New growers are joining the pecan industry and experienced growers are making the most of the development and planting new trees. Along with the planting, other services, such…

A recent review of the biology and management of the pecan weevil (Mulder et al. 2012) indicates that weevil population density estimates are critical to economic management. During the past 13 years, I had the opportunity to estimate densities of pecan weevil populations in a non-irrigated, river-bottom native orchard of approximately 300 acres and 3,000…

Pecan crop load management can be done in several ways. Hedging reduces crop in the short-term on the trees that are hedged. Since hedging is done routinely in the West, my discussion will focus more on crop load management by mechanical crop thinning. In this method, pioneered by Mike Smith, Ph.D., and others in Oklahoma…

Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi pecan grower associations are preparing to host the TriState Pecan Convention, June 20-21, at the Vicksburg Convention Center in Vicksburg, Mississippi. This year’s event will kick off with an orchard tour on Thursday morning. Mississippi Pecan Growers Association President Joe Buzhardt is planning the orchard program which will be followed by…

The National Pecan Growers Council participated in the Food Ingredients China trade show for the first time, March 26-28, 2013, in Shanghai, China. Cindy Wise of Texas Pecan Growers Association served as team leader for this project and was assisted by Ellen Burkett of Priester Pecan Company. This is only the second year that this…

The February import/export figures from the Foreign Ag Statistics Service show that pecan exports to China have set a new record.  Between Aug. 1, 2012 and Feb. 28, 2013, China imported almost 89 million pounds (inshell basis) of pecans. Within that figure, exports to Vietnam and China were both down slightly but Hong Kong more…

This year’s Oklahoma Pecan Growers Association Annual Convention will be held in Ardmore at the Ardmore Convention Center on June 27-29. The educational program has been structured to brief growers on pecan production and current issues facing the pecan industry. Dan Zedan will be speaking on the market crash of 2012, and George Ray McEachern…

There has been a lot of talk about food safety and as you read in Charles Graham’s article in February, “New food safety regulations on the horizon,” several of the new regulations were discussed. Food safety is a major concern for all industries and it may take only one outbreak to greatly affect the future…

During all of my years with Extension, one of the more frequent questions I receive from producers, regardless of the pest problem is: “what can I spray with?” It wasn’t long ago that the list of insecticides labeled for pecan was not all that long. I remember when we could list all the labeled commercial…

The Texas Pecan Growers Association will again raffle a Polaris Ranger 500 at the upcoming annual TPGA Conference and Trade Show in July. Raffle tickets are $100 each and only 200 tickets will be sold. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the raffle will support pecan research, Extension and promotional projects. The TPGA event…

The 2012 crop finished in a mess and we know the 2013 crop is going to be light – but we have to get to work, whether we like it or not. We must remember our main goal in pecan orchard management is keeping the trees healthy. We should have our first Roundup treatment behind…

The members of the North Carolina Pecan Growers Association conducted their 19th Annual Educational Workshop and largest one to date on Feb. 16, 2013.  The event was held on the grounds of the Lu Mil Vineyard, in Dublin, North Carolina. This county winery provided a warm and inviting setting from the chilly February weather.  An…

One of the facts of growing pecans in the Southeast is disease prevention. Sure, there are “dry spells” and even dry years when the pressure and concern of fending off a scab infection are less challenging, but from East Texas to Florida and all points in between, those are generally rare. Pop-up showers and thunderstorms…

USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service announced on March 12 that it is suspending a number of statistical surveys and reports for the remainder of the fiscal year due to reduced funding caused by sequestration. Before deciding upon the program suspensions, NASS reviewed its survey programs against mission- and user-based criteria as well as the amount…

The focus for 2013 at the Texas A&M pecan orchard will be young tree training. When I came to Texas in 1969, pecan trees were trained entirely different from how we do it today. In the old days, spacing was wide with scaffold limbs beginning only 4 to 6 feet from the ground. The old…

It is hard to believe that the 2013 season is just around the corner and it will soon be time to start placing your PNC pheromone trap orders. Over the years there have been numerous articles on pecan nut casebearer management and the importance of using pheromone traps to detect the onset of the first-generation…

April is National Pecan Month and Royalty Pecan Farms near Caldwell, Texas, is celebrating by hosting the annual Royalty Pecans Recipe Challenge. The challenge is to think outside the pie and submit recipes that feature heart-healthy, nutritious pecans and go beyond the traditional pecan pie and candy recipes that are easy to find. Food lovers…

The U.S. Pecans program continues to promote pecans around the world, helped in part by MAP (Market Access Program) funds and incredible industry support. Through the program a team member and an industry representative attended the Fruit Logistic trade show in Berlin, Germany on February 6 – 8. Sean Hayes from The Green Valley Pecan…

The San Saba County (Texas) Pecan Field Day will be held from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday, May 6, at the San Saba Civic Center in Mill Pond Park. Registration will begin at 8 a.m. This annual field day has enjoyed excellent attendance over the years, offering topics for commercial growers, small landowners and…

Those attending the Western Pecan Growers Association conference in Las Cruces March 4-5 were treated to a diverse educational program providing tips on estate planning and smart-phone apps for pecan growers, as well as production information on pest control and irrigation. Blake McKibbin of Farm Bureau Financial Services addressed wealth transfer and business succession for…

The weather was damp but spirits were not at the 106th annual convention of the Southeastern Pecan Growers Association held Feb. 22-23 at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Destin, Florida. Convention chairman Michael Horne and program chairwoman Katherine Stevenson structured an enjoyable, informative event that proceeded smoothly despite heavy rains during much of…

Food safety issues loom large in the United States right now, particularly with the new Food Safety Modernization Act poised to impose a host of new regulations on the food industry, including nuts. Warren Stone of the Grocery Manufacturers Association spoke to pecan shellers at their recent Mid Winter meeting in Florida on the topic,…

There’s a popular credit card advertisement that asks the question, “What’s in your wallet?” Well, if you’re a pecan farmer, the answer to that question may be less money, unless you’re careful about how you budget your expenses. There’s no question that you have to spend money to grow pecans. But, you can spend a…

Pecan nut loss caused by wildlife depredation results in major economic losses. In small orchards depredation may result in total crop loss. Several avian species feed on pecan nuts; the more problematic species include the American crow and blue jay (Aldous, 1944; Bannon, 1921; Hall, 1979; Leppla, 1980; Martin et al., 1951; Murray, 1975; Wilson,…