May 2019

USDA Trade Disruption Support for Farmers

Pecan South will continue to update this article to bring the pecan industry the up-to-date news about the second round of trade mitigation support. USDA Announces Support for Farmers Impacted by Unjustified Retaliation and Trade Disruption May 23rd, 2019 U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will take...

Protect your early season growth with zinc

The 2019 pecan season is about to move into full speed. Our immediate concern is “if” we will have a crop or not. In Texas, our budbreak has been about 7 to 10 days early, so we may be able to count terminals for female flowers soon. Many of us had a big crop last...

Pecan Flowering: Genesis of the Nut

One thing is for sure, just when you think you have something figured out, nature will turn around and show you differently. In my position thus far, I find myself making recommendations all the time, but I often have to remind myself not to make too specific generalizations for doing things one way across all...

Nitrogen in Pecans Versus Other Crops

Nitrogen (N) is the essential plant nutrient of greatest concern in most commercial plant production systems, including pecan. Although nitrogen may be present in irrigation water or resident in soils from ongoing organic matter decomposition, supplemental nitrogen fertilizer is typically required in field and orchard crops every year. Conversion of nitrogen to plant-usable forms (nitrate,...

Letter from the Editor: “Time to turn your weakness into a strength”

People throughout the pecan industry often ask me how I became involved with Pecan South. And my answer is generally always the same. I stumbled upon it. Some of you may have heard this spiel before at conferences or other industry events, but I thought now is a good time as ever to share a...

Natural Enemies: An Underappreciated Complement to IPM Practices

During the first week of April, while checking bark beetle traps in an orchard near my office, I was amazed by the very healthy and robust population of lady beetles feeding on aphids from infested weeds and wildflowers. Viewing this activity got me to thinking that so much time is spent addressing the pest problems...

Fertilizer Keeps this Season’s Optimism Alive

Still smarting from quality woes and lack of market activity this past growing season, producers are struggling to find optimism as the new growing season kicks off in earnest. I must admit that I too am struggling for optimism, but in reality, all farmers—whatever the crop—are eternal optimists. Why? Because we have some assurances that...

GPGA Meets for Annual Conference

The Georgia Pecan Growers Association hosted its 54th annual Educational Conference and Trade Show at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center in Tifton, Georgia on March 26 through 27. The first day was marked by a golf tournament, a question and answer session with UGA Pecan Extension’s Lenny Wells, and a welcome reception....

Friends of O.S. Gray strive to carry on the legacy of a Pecan Pioneer

In 1985, Kevin Donovan moved to a new home in Arlington, Texas near what is now O.S. Gray Natural Area. But what was once pecan giant Oscar “O.S.” Gray’s nursery, now stood what appeared to be an overgrown woodland. Donovan and his family, as well as his friends and neighbors, would often come to the...

Update on Pecans in Washington, D.C.

Despite the completion of the 2018 Farm Bill, pecan has had much activity in the nation’s capital in recent days with Farm Bill implementation and other issues of significance to the industry. The 2018 Farm Bill is in the early implementation stage with rules still being formulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA recently...

Effective Marketing Begins with Good Research

August Busch Jr. of Anheuser-Busch is credited for having once said that he knew that over half of his advertising dollars were wasted. He then went on to say that while he hated wasting money no one could tell him which half of his advertising dollars were wasted and that he had no alternative but...

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The 101 Series: Unifying the Industry & the Beginning of Change 101

A life and career in agriculture are fraught with uncertainty, going through periods of highs and lows depending on weather patterns, regulatory changes, and trade and market conditions, among other factors. For the pecan industry, 2018 was particularly challenging, as we faced hurricanes, floods, and droughts, not to mention an international trade war and falling...

Pecan Congress marks another effort toward industry unity

April 9 marked a historic day for the American pecan industry. Hosted by the American Pecan Council, representatives from 19 of 21 state, regional, and national organizations and associations gathered at the Hyatt Regency DFW International Airport for the first ever Pecan Congress. Acknowledging this meeting’s historical significance, APC Executive Director, Alex Ott, commended delegates...