Commodity Teams

As summer draws to a close, nature enthusiasts, gardeners and residents across the Southeast are gearing up for an exciting citizen science project – the 2024 Great Southeast Pollinator Census. Scheduled for Aug. 23-24, this annual event invites participants from Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida to join forces in counting pollinators, collecting valuable data that helps researchers, farmers and policymakers understand pollinator populations and their impact on agriculture.

Georgia's leading industry is agriculture, which relies significantly on irrigation — approximately half of the state's cropland is irrigated. For most farmers operating on razor-thin profit margins, irrigation is essential as insurance against drought and extended dry periods. In a concerted effort to address water conservation in agriculture, the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Ag Water Team helps farmers adopt water-saving practices that boost yields, lower production costs and conserve water for future generations.

When a half-ton bale of hay fell off a wagon in 2019, striking the back of Donald Adams’ head, the future of his family farm fell into immediate uncertainty. More than 200 head of cattle are worked on the land at Coastal Acres, a Dearing, Georgia, operation that involves intense manual labor. “Donald sustained a C5-C6 spinal cord injury and was paralyzed from the neck down,” said Laura Adams, Adams’ wife and co-owner of Coastal Acres.