The long, hot summer will soon be history, and many people are wondering if the state will experience an early fall. Some people are noticing what appears to be an early color change in leaves on trees. Kim Coder, a University of Georgia Forester says you are seeing the leaves change color, and yes, the change is early. "We're having premature leaf fall on some of the trees. They are coloring up a little bit and starting to drop off". Kim Coder with the Warnel School of Forest Resources. Coder goes on to say you can blame the early season on the drought. Trees in need of water try to conserve what they have to the point of dropping their leaves early. So we're already seeing reds, oranges, and yellows pop out. Most experts are now predicting the peak color season for Georgia could come about the third week in October, several weeks earlier than the traditional first of November. But Coder says be flexible and keep up with forecasts on leaf changes, since weather conditions may cause the peak to come sooner, or later than the predicted time. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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After months of pleading and begging for rains, the moisture came in buckets during early September. But several crops, including cotton are at the stage where they need more sunshine, instead of rain. Steve Brown, an Agronomist with the University of Georgia Extension Service says most of the cotton could suffer further reductions in both yield and quality. He adds seed quality also was hurt. "We've seen open cotton sprouting in the existing boll, and that greatly reduces the quality of seed that we will harvest and sell as whole cottonseed for cattle or crush for oil production". Steve Brown with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, who adds the rains left most cotton fields extremely wet, so farmers now need several days of sunny weather to dry things back out, so the can get back in and resume defoliating and harvesting. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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Many farmers are concerned about marketing their excess tobacco next year with price support. J. Michael Moore, an Agronomist with the University of Georgia Extension Service says price supports will not be provided on tobacco not cured in retrofited barns next year. But he adds carryover tobacco from this year will receive price support in 2001. "This carryover tobacco from the year 2000 may be sold during the year 2001 without the expected penalty of not having price support on that tobacco if it was not produced and cured in a retrofitted barn which would cause it to be low in nitrosomines". J. Michael Moore with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Nitrosomines are said to be cancer causing agents created during the curing process. But many barns are being refitted so they now use indirect heat furnaces, which reduces levels of nitrosomines. So farmers will be able to carry this tobacco over and sell it with price support in 2001.

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The drought caused fire ants to get off to a slow start this spring and summer. But when those scattered showers began falling, mounds started popping up quickly. Beverly Sparks, an Entomologist with the University of Georgia Extension Service says during the fall fire ants think bait products are free food, so they take the bait down into the mound for the entire colony to eat. "We actually enlist the ants help in picking up this chemical, we broadcast the bait out and they perceive it as food, and so they pick the bait up and take it back and feed it through the entire colony". Beverly Sparks with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences , who adds temperatures should be between 65 and 90 degrees when applying fire ant baits. Baits should be applied on a day when rain is not in the forecast, since the treated area needs to be dry for at least twenty four hours after the treatment. Neighbors should join forces and treat at the same time, since it takes a team effort to land a knockout punch to these painful insect pests. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton. t

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Farmers were encouraged when they heard domestic market prices for cotton were slightly higher this year. But an Ag Economist with the University of Georgia Extension Service says hot, dry conditions during the spring and summer will make it tough for farmers to make any money this fall. "We're fortunate to have prices as high as they are, but again we're going to struggle because of not having as much to sell as we would like so, profit margins will be tight". Don Shurley with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, who adds rising prices on foreign markets have also made it hard for cotton growers to make money with U.S. prices. Shurley advises farmers to watch both domestic and foreign markets closely in case foreign prices come down. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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