University of Georgia researchers studying organic peanut production and researchers with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service have found ways to reduce the amount of fertilizer and pesticides used in traditional peanut farming operations.

University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Agent Frank Watson discusses the proper way to dispose of excess chemicals.

University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Agent Frank Watson discusses the proper way to dispose of excess chemicals.

Soybeans are critical to the U.S. economy. But the third largest crop in the nation has an enemy eating away at it, a fungus in the same family as the one that caused the infamous Irish Potato Famine.

Almost every year in late summer, caterpillars invade turfgrass across Georgia. Damage to established turf is mostly aesthetic, but newly planted sod or sprigged areas can be severely damaged or even killed.

Thousands of broken trees line the banks of the Chattooga River. The dead, gray stabs were once evergreen monsters offering shade to trout and picturesque views to visitors. These Eastern hemlocks are native to north Georgia, but they are dying rapidly.

A recent report in the journal Pediatrics suggests a possible link between organophosphate pesticides and increased risk of children developing attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The report has some parents wondering if they should stay away from the produce aisle in the grocery store. University of Georgia experts say to learn the facts, thoroughly clean all produce and feed healthful fruits and vegetables to children.

Spring rains and summertime heat have sparked insects and lawn diseases across the state. That may send some landscape lovers looking for someone to apply a few chemicals to protect their interests.

University of Georgia research isn’t done just by professors in laboratories in Athens, Ga. It’s also conducted in fields, orchards and gardens statewide by UGA Cooperative Extension agents, who look to solve problems for the people in their counties.