South

Management of Mexican Bean Beetle in Snap Beans Using Cultural Control Strategies

A series of fact sheets from Virginia Tech on cultural control strategies to manage the Mexican bean beetle, a pest of snap beans.

Economic Analysis of Commercial Aquaponic Production Systems

Three case studies of aquaponic production systems in Texas, Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands that show commercial aquaponics systems can be economically viable options for producers.

Intensive Crop Rotations with Cover Crops Give a Boost to High-Value Cash Crops in Organic Production

ATHENS, Georgia – University of Georgia researchers developing a model for organic vegetable production in the Southeast have found success incorporating summer cover crops with high-value cool-season crops in a series of rotations that increase yields, control insects and diseases, improve crop quality and build soil biomass. The systems approach, say the researchers, can be […]

Stink Bug Pest a Challenge to Control Sustainably, But Strategies Exist

BLACKSBURG, Virginia – Virginia Tech entomologists studying Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques to manage the brown marmorated stink bug have found that it’s one tough pest to control sustainably. Based on the results of a Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education On-Farm Research grant to manage the brown marmorated stink bug on peppers, control via […]

Native Warm Season Grasses Diversify Livestock Grazing/Support Biodiversity

MISSISSIPPI STATE, Mississippi – Native warm season grasses excel over more traditional commercial grass varieties when it comes to grazing livestock and promoting wildlife conservation, based on the results of a two-year Mississippi State University agroecology study. The study, funded by a Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SSARE) Graduate Student grant, compared native warm […]

Biocontrol Methods for Protecting Honeybees Against Pests

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Research from Florida A&M University has found that fungal pathogens can effectively and economically control the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) – an invasive pest of honeybees – while maintaining colony health. The results pave the way for more environmentally friendly biological controls in a pest management program. Through a Southern Sustainable […]

North Carolina Land Trust Helping Beginning Farmers in an Effort that Blends Conservation with Sustainable Ag

ALEXANDER, North Carolina – Over 100 acres of gently rolling grazing land, woodlands and stream corridors just outside of Asheville, NC is the site of an educational effort spearheaded by the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy that combines environmental conservation with agriculture using sustainable ag practices. The program, known as the “Community Farm & Food Project: […]

Using Cover Crops for Pest Management on Small Farms

LIVE OAK, Florida – Two small farmers in Live Oak, Florida are partnering with University of Florida Extension to determine how cover crops can be used to manage insect pests. In a newly funded Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SSARE) On-Farm Research Grant, “Establishing and Evaluating Selected Cover Crops on Small Farms to Increase […]

Black Soldier Fly Integral Component of Sustainable Ag at Georgia Farm

BLUFFTON, Georgia – The black soldier fly has turned out to be a key contributor to the sustainable agriculture efforts of one South Georgia farm. For the past two years, the indigenous insect has been at the center of a Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SSARE) Producer study at White Oak Pastures to determine […]

Native Grasses Good Food Sources for Livestock; Perform Best as Grazing Forages

IUKA, Mississippi – A Mississippi livestock producer has found that native warm-season grasses pack more of a nutritional punch than commercial non-native forages, but he recommends that the grasses be grown for grazing rather than for hay. Tulon McKee, Jr. of McKee Farms received a Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SSARE) Producer Grant to […]

UGA Researcher Studying Durana White Clover as Living Mulch in Corn Fields

TIFTON, Georgia -- Adding nitrogen to fertilize their crop is a substantial expense corn farmers have to consider when calculating their bottom line. A University of Georgia scientist hopes to help lower that cost by planting clover and corn together. With a $224,000 grant from the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, UGA researcher […]

Finding a Fit for Native Pollinators in North Florida Sustainable Farm Management

GAINESVILLE, Florida – Natural landscapes surrounding North-central Florida farms may influence native pollinator diversity along with on-farm vegetation management, according to preliminary results of a University of Florida study. The findings may be useful to farmers interested in encouraging the number and types of native bees that visit their farms. Rosalyn Johnson, a graduate student […]

Herbal Treatments Effective in Treating or Preventing Mastitis in Dairy Cattle

RALEIGH, North Carolina – Herbal treatments have been found to be just as effective as conventional antibiotics in some situations for treating or preventing mastitis in dairy cattle, based on the limited results of a North Carolina State University study. For organic dairy producers, this is heartening news, says Keena Mullen, a graduate research assistant […]

Looking for the Right Bee for Your Apple Orchards? Say Hello to the Native Mining Bee

LAWRENCEVILLE, Georgia – Commercial Georgia apple producers looking for an alternative to the honeybee to pollinate their orchards can say hello to the native mining bee (Andrena crataegi). Georgia Gwinnett College researchers have named the mining bee Georgia’s “apple bee,” for its abundance in north Georgia apple orchards and its efficiency in pollinating blossoms. The […]

Using Sunn Hemp as a Cover Crop in Oklahoma

OSU Extension fact sheet on sunn hemp as a cover crop.

Organic Grain Production Video Series

A series of videos developed by University of Georgia, North Carolina State University and USDA-ARS on organic grain production.

Sustainable Year-Round Forage Production and Grazing/Browsing Management in the Southern Region

An educational training video to increase the productivity, quality, and production of forages, as well as to improve management of existing pastures for sustainable livestock production.

Weed Control in the Organic Coffee Field

A video created by University of Puerto Rico outlining sustainable methods for controlling weeds in organic coffee fields. NOTE: This video is in Spanish, with English subtitles.

Techniques for Melon Grafting

A fact sheet developed by University of Florida that introduces commonly used grafting techniques to help farmers interested in grafting melon plants achieve a high-graft survival rate.

Managing for Mastitis in Dairy Housing Systems

LEXINGTON, Kentucky – A University of Kentucky dairy scientist is leading efforts to measure the incidences of mastitis – a common and costly dairy cattle disease – in a relatively new housing system that is gaining popularity among producers. Jeffrey Bewley received a Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SSARE) On-Farm Research Grant to compare […]