Agriculture Roundup for Tuesday, February 28, 2023

Mar 01, 2023

Funding is now available for employers hiring youth in the ag sector.

The $13 million from the Youth Employment and Skills Program (YESP) will support roughly 1,200 jobs.

Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth Marci Ien said YESP will make sure everyone, regardless of their identity has a fair chance at success in many in-demand sectors, including the ever-growing agriculture sector.

“By giving young people, particularly those facing systemic barriers to employment due to their gender, race, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, disability or other intersecting identities, the opportunity to gain valuable work experience, we are breaking down barriers and creating endless potential for what they can achieve tomorrow,” Ien said.

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Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.