Peaches

USDA drops grade standards for peaches, nectarines, apricots

The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) on July 16 rolled out a final rule that removes voluntary U.S. grade standards for fresh peaches, nectarines and apricots from the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). AMS removed from... more »

Georgia farmer of the year grows peaches

The Sunbelt Ag Expo recently named peach grower Robert Lee Dickey III its 2019 Georgia farmer of the year. Robert earned his degree in 1977... more »

USDA to buy frozen peach products

USDA recently announced plans to purchase frozen peach products for distribution to various food nutrition assistance programs. Purchases will be made under the authority of Section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935, with... more »

Correct summer pruning techniques for peach trees stressed

Tree response can vary when these aspects of pruning are varied. When peach trees are summer pruned properly, one can expect economic benefits, but economic losses result from summer pruning incorrectly. During the 1980s and... more »

Stone fruit IPM guide for beginners available online

Stone Fruit IPM for Beginners educates new growers by laying the foundation for integrated pest management (IPM) of stone fruit pests and diseases. This guide provides examples of IPM practices used in commercial stone fruit production... more »

Southwestern Michigan peaches, other crops crimped by polar vortex

The peach crop in southwestern Michigan was nearly wiped out by the polar vortex that sent temperatures plummeting to minus 20 degrees for a couple of nights at the end of January and appears to... more »

USDA report reveals New Jersey third in US peach production

The United States Department of Agriculture’s National Agriculture Statistics Service released its annual Non-Citrus Fruit and Nuts report June 18 and the results showed New Jersey as the No. 3 state in the U.S. in... more »

USDA’s Ibach tours California’s Central Valley

U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach spent Thursday, June 6 in the Fresno area touring fresh produce operations and talking to industry members. International trade pressures, combatting pest... more »