News Stories - Page 111

With commercial citrus acreage on the rise in Georgia, producers should be aware of potential signs of citrus greening and the pests that carry the disease that has devastated the citrus industry in Florida.

In 2010, the Georgia 4-H Southwest District Program Development Coordinator, Laura Perry Johnson, established a collaboration with the AmeriCorps Volunteers In Service To America (VISTA) program as a way to extend the capacity of 4-H youth programs and strengthen the impacts in the Southwest District 4-H. To date, more than 55 full-time VISTAs have dedicated a full year of service to Georgia 4-H.

Each spring, thousands of K-12 students attend environmental education camps at Georgia 4-H facilities across the state. They hold snakes, hike through creeks and marshes, visit historic sites and enjoy nature; all with a goal of learning about the environment. Since the COVID-19 outbreak has public schools closed, school buses parked and Georgians sheltered in place, the Georgia 4-H Environmental Education Program is now being offered virtually.

While there is no evidence that the COVID-19 virus is a food safety concern, it is a worker health concern as it spreads via close person-to-person contact or by contact with contaminated surfaces.

As a University of Georgia Cooperative Extension turfgrass specialist, I have recently received numerous calls and emails regarding grass selection and planting. This is likely a result of the recent warm, dry weather, which typically activates people to begin working in their landscape, and the increased number of people currently at home. 

Most vegetable crops in Georgia — such as bell pepper, specialty peppers, tomato, eggplant, cucumber, yellow squash, and zucchini — are currently being planted into early April. These crops should be harvested in May and June; however, in light of the current coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, Georgia growers, who rely on seasonal workers, need to plan ahead to be prepared for the harvest.

More than 1,500 fourth, fifth and sixth graders will now have the opportunity to participate in Georgia 4-H’s first Virtual Cloverleaf Project Achievement contest. Last year, more than 3,700 youth participated in Cloverleaf Project Achievement contests. Due to recent developments, five competitions around the state will now take place in an online format. While 13 in-person competitions were originally scheduled, area contestants in Bacon, Douglas, Emanuel, Houston and Jackson counties will now have the opportunity to participate virtually.

As messages about COVID-19 come in from all angles, consumers need clear, direct information on how to keep themselves and their families safe from potential infection. University of Georgia food scientists offer tips on staying healthy and protecting your family.

Buying takeout food is a good choice to lower risks of exposure to COVID-19 because it reduces the number of touchpoints relative to eating in a restaurant, said Elizabeth Andress, a UGA Extension food safety specialist in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences.