Commodity Teams

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.

After nearly a decade of research trials, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences turfgrass breeder Brian Schwartz and a dedicated team of colleagues and industry partners released a cutting-edge bermudagrass variety called ‘Tif3D’ earlier this year. ‘Tif3D’ is a specialty grass developed specifically for putting greens and boasts the unparalleled performance and playability putting greens require, said Schwartz, a professor in the CAES Department of Crop and Soil Sciences.