Georgia Grown Watermelon Month and Ethanol Exports Higher
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.
**Georgia Ag Commissioner Tyler Harper signed a proclamation officially declaring July 2026 as “Georgia Grown Watermelon Month,” celebrating one of the state’s signature summer crops and the Georgia farmers who grow it.
www.morningagclips.com reports with approximately 35,000 acres dedicated to watermelon production and a 2024 farm gate value of $220.5 million, Georgia is a national leader in watermelon production and home to the “Watermelon Capital of the World”, Cordele, GA.
www.morningagclips.com/georgia-agriculture-commissioner-declares-july-georgia-grown-watermelon-month/
**U.S. ethanol exports rebounded in May, up 11% from April to 189.7 million gallons as demand grew in key international markets.
Canada remained the top customer, with imports rising 18% to a six-month high of 76.3 million gallons, and the European Union jumped 15% … accounting for more than 60% of all U.S. ethanol exports.
Exports also surged to Nigeria, Colombia, and Vietnam, but declined to South Korea and the U.K.
**Farmer sentiment weakened again in June as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer fell six points to 113, the second straight monthly decline.
The Index of Current Conditions dropped to its lowest level since December 2024, while the Future Expectations Index also moved lower as producers remained cautious about the year ahead.
47% of farmers surveyed identified rising input costs as their biggest challenge, preventing improvements in their financial position.
