|
|
| This Week's Titles: |
| Fishy
Profit Potential In South Georgia |
|
|
Thrip Numbers Above Normal
This Winter |
|
| Tobacco
Advertisements Still Influence Teens |
|
| Banks
Learn Financial Needs Of Farmers |
|
| Program
Updates Dairy Producers On Financial Issues |
|
|
|
| Fishy
Profit Potential In South Georgia |
1:31 |
A county in Southwest Georgia
is catching big dividends, when it comes to catfish production. |
Decatur Fish Farm, located
in Bainbridge produces premium whole catfish for restaurants,
grocery stores, and other markets. In recent years, demand for
top quality catfish has been increasing, which has caused several
farmers in South Georgia, to express an interest in producing
catfish. Mitchell May, a county extension agent in Decatur County
says the increase in demand for catfish has helped both Decatur
Fish Farm and catfish producers in South Georgia. "Other catfish
producers are able to grow and move their products through Decatur
Fish Farm. So it's helped other producers in South Georgia so
there's room for growth and more catfish producers coming on
line." Mitchell May with the University of Georgia's College
of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. To help take care
of the growing market needs, several meetings were held in Stewart,
Berrien, Jeff Davis, Thomas, and Dougherty counties with farmers
expressing an interest in becoming catfish farmers. They also
looked into the possibility of forming the Georgia Premium Catfish
Growers, to help Decatur Fish Farm meet the demand for top quality,
premium catfish. John Harrell, University of Georgia College
of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
|
| |
 |
| Thrip
Numbers Above Normal This Winter |
1:27 |
Some small insects may be giving
farmers an early warning to get ready for another hard fight
with a tough disease in 2006. |
Farmers and scientists
know tiny insects called thrips carry the deadly tomato spotted
wilt virus to peanuts, tobacco, and several vegetable crops.
Results from several tests conducted by scientists with the
University of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental
Sciences have found thrip numbers are higher than normal. Mild
weather in late December and January has been a significant
factor in these higher numbers. "The mild winter has just allowed
thrips to reproduce, they basically don't reproduce below temperatures
of about fifty degrees so most of our winters, when we have
very cool temperatures thrips are pretty dormant, they don't
do much. But when temperatures are high, they'll start to reproduce
again, and they start moving virus around so that's the concern
right now." That was David Riley with the College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences. Tomato spotted wilt virus hit Georgia
farmers hard last year, costing millions of dollars in damage
and control costs. The university scientists is concerned that
data showing high winter numbers of thrips could mean more expense
and trouble for crops and growers in 2006. John Harrell, University
of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,
reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
|
| |
|
| Tobacco
Advertisments Still Influence Teens |
1:28 |
Advertisements of tobacco products
are still influencing teens to light up and puff away on cigarettes. |
Despite regulations over
the years that restrict advertising of tobacco products on radio
and television, cigarette promotion is still a powerful influence
on young people. Teens who own cigarette promotional items such
as T-shirts, lighters, and watches are four times more likely
to smoke. Diane Bales, a human development specialist with the
University of Georgia's College of Family and Consumer Sciences
says many teens don't think they will feel the effects of cigarette
smoke as they get older. "Sometimes teens don't recognize the
risks, they don't recognize that smoking is dangerous. Sometimes
they may know that it's dangerous, they may know people that
have gotten lung cancer, but teen sometimes tend to think that
they're invincible, so they think oh that could never happen
to me, so they do things that are risky." Diane Bales with the
College of Family and Consumer Sciences. Parents should help
their older children and teens understand cigarette advertising
can have strong influences on them, and may have caused some
of their friends to begin smoking. Teens also need to understand
cigarette smoking is an expensive habit, and will cause a lot
of their money to go up in smoke. John Harrell, University of
Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,
reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
|
| |
|
| Banks
Learn Financial Needs Of Farmers |
1:22 |
Educational programs conducted
by University economists are helping banks and other agricultural
lenders understand the financial needs of farmers. |
Georgia farms are high
investment operations, that require thousands, and sometimes
millions of dollars for assets and inputs. Growers depend on
credit to finance their purchase of land and equipment. Agricultural
economists with the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences provide educational seminars and
materials for bankers. This keeps lenders informed on the latest
agricultural issues involving money. "We just feel like that
being able to reach them with the latest types of information
that we have, what's going on in the markets, outlook for prices,
what's happening in terms of cost of production." That was Don
Shurley with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
Information from these seminars is used by banks and Farm Credit
System lenders in Georgia and other states to help prepare farm
plans for the upcoming growing season. John Harrell, University
of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,
reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
|
| |
|
| Program
Updates Dairy Producers On Financial Issues |
1:28 |
College scientists have developed
a program that keeps dairy producers updated on important financial
issues. |
Dairy farmers need the
latest reports on financial and production matters, so they
can make critical management decisions. During the mid-nineties,
the Cooperative Dairy Business Analysis Project began. This
project involves scientists with the University of Georgia's
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and the
University of Florida. This allows scientists to provide financial
data to dairies taking part in the project. "Well there is a
lot of questions about the cost of milk production and profitability
in the dairy industry in the Southeast, not only here from our
farmers but also comparison to other parts of the country, and
so the interest was to try to get accurate costs that could
be compared over the years and also compared with other regions."
That was Lane Ely with the College of Agricultural and Environmental
Sciences. Data and budget information gained from this project
have been used by commercial banks to evaluate loans to dairy
farmers. Bankers say the budgets allow them to make realistic
studies that will keep their bank more efficient, when making
loans to dairy farms. John Harrell, University of Georgia College
of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
|
| |
|
|
|
