Some people assume the love season only came with Cupid on Valentine's Day. But while love bugs love it in the Southeast, splattered windshields and hoods of cars make people wish they would go away, and the sooner, the better. Will Hudson, an entomologist with the University of Georgia Extension Service, says there have been a higher number of love bugs this year than in previous year. "Well last year was one of our worst years in quite a while and this year, is at least as bad if not worse, so yeah, this is a real bad love bug year for use here in south Georgia." Will Hudson with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, who adds this could be one of the worse years for love bugs since the late-‘80s. The insect expert goes on to say if you tried to end the love affair with pesticides, you would have to spray grassy roadside areas every two hours for several weeks, making it costly and questionable from an environment point of view. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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About two-thirds of Georgia's 2000 peanut crop has been harvested, as of early October. John Beasley, an agronomist with the University of Georgia Extension Service, says in most fields the September rains caused little damage. "The rains in September are the ones that really probably helped a little bit more than they hurt. Again there might have been a few fields that had some heavy disease pressure that it hurt them to stay in the field an extra five to seven to ten days but growers were quick to get back in the fields and get those harvested as quickly as they could." John Beasley with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, who adds farmers are in the home stretch digging and harvesting the remaining one-third of Georgia's 2000 peanut crop, and should finish in several weeks if Mother Nature provides more warm, sunny weather. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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Since the early-‘90s, scientists with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences have been conducting research with fat substitutes, with health benefits that don't make you too fat. Casimir Akoh, a University food scientist, says the research involves modifying the fat to enhance the way our bodies absorb it. He is also creating new fats with nutritional benefits. When absorbed these new fats could improve the energy level of the elderly, and help hospital patients recover from surgery quicker. "But the medium and short term fatty acid absorbs faster and they give you that quick energy so as you are recovering from surgery, can get that quick energy, and then you have the long term fatty acids to help you sustain the energy." That was Casimir Akoh with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Science, who adds the new fatty acids will first be added to salad dressings, infant formulas, and intravenous injections. The food scientist will conduct more research and hopes to have the new fats available in bakery products, potato chips, and other products on the commercial market. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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After fighting through another summer of drought conditions, farmers are receiving low paychecks when they take their peanuts to the market. Nathan Smith, an agricultural economist with the University of Georgia Extension Service, says market prices for peanuts remain at record low levels. He adds the finger of blame should point to problems on the international markets. "The world market is depressed for peanuts, we've got low prices on the world market with China and India offering peanuts for less than $300 per ton," said Nathan Smith with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Since export markets are limited, farmers with additional peanuts are having to compete for fall transfer quota leases. Since the deadline for additional peanuts expired back in September, farmers may have to consider putting their 2000 additionals in the loan, at $132 per ton. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.t

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First, it wouldn't rain. When the rains finally came in September, farmers were defoliating and getting what was left of the crop ready for harvest. Steve Brown, an agronomist with the University of Georgia Extension Service says while the rains helped the state's drought situation, they created more problems for the 2000 cotton crop. "And so we had a lot of cotton that was ready the first couple weeks of September, that rain was exactly what we did not need. And when we see significant amount of rainfall when the cottons open, we tend to discolor the fiber, we reduce the color grade which is a measure of whiteness and brightness". Steve Brown with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, who adds only twenty percent of Georgia's cotton crop had been harvested as of October 10. Brown goes on to say quality could improve if Mother Nature provides lots of bright, sunny weather, so farmers can get the crop harvested as quickly as possible. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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