Farmer's Hand Book On Pig Production

A co-op uses a skidloader 60% of the time to clean the feedlot of its livestock operation. The remaining 40% is used to handle fertilizer and do utility work on the co-op premises. The skidloader is exempt because it is primarily (more than 50%) used in agricultural production.

Farmer's Hand Book on Pig Production

This publication is a joint effort of the seven disciplines that comprise the Georgia Vegetable Team. It is comprised of 14 topics on tomato, including history of tomato production, cultural practices, pest management, harvesting, handling and marketing. This publication provides information that will assist producers in improving the profitability of tomato production, whether they are new or experienced producers.

Tomatoes are an important crop for Georgia growers; however, successful tomato production is not easily achieved. Tomato production requires highly intensive management, production and marketing skills, and a significant investment. Per acre cost of production is high, and yields can be severely limited by pest problems or environment. Tomato production is complex. Expertise in the areas of cultural practices, soils and fertility management, pest control, harvesting, post-harvest handling, marketing, and farm record keeping is crucial to profitable production.

In writing this publication, the authors have strived to provide a thorough overview of all aspects of tomato production. However, chemical pest control recommendations are not included, as these change from year to year. For up-to-date chemical recommendations, see the current Georgia Pest Management Handbook.

The importance of care in handling tomatoes between the time of harvest and shipping to market cannot be overemphasized, since about half of the cost of tomato production is in the grading, cooling and packing of the product. Bulk bins of harvested tomatoes are taken from the field to the packing house, where they are mechanically unloaded in a water dump tank or concrete pit. Water jets convey the fruit by flume onto an inclined dewatering roller belt with soft bristle brushes that remove field debris. The fruit is then dried, pre-graded, color sorted and sized before being jumble-packed into 25-pound fiberboard cartons.

Georgia tomato production has risen from 203,000 cwt in 1983 to over a peak of 1.7 million cwt in 2001. Other relatively good production years were 1994, 2002 and 2003. The drastic drop in production in 2004 was a result of several hurricanes (Ivan, Frances, Charley, etc.), and tropical storms that caused serious damage on most of the Georgia farms. On the other hand, although there has been a great improvement, average seasonal prices per cwt has been a roller coaster. In 2004, the price of $45 per cwt was the peak due to the extreme shortage in supply caused by several hurricanes and tropical storms. The relative peak was in 1995 and 2003 when the average seasonal price per cwt were $31 and $31.50 respectively (Figure 50).

Ahlschewede, W.T., C. J. Christians, R. K. Johnson, and O.W. Robinson. 1988. Crossbreeding systems for commercial pork production. Pork Industry Handbook PIH-39. Iowa State University Extension, Ames, IA. 041b061a72