The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that commodity and specialty crop producers impacted by natural disaster events in 2020 and 2021 will soon begin receiving emergency relief payments totaling approximately $6 billion through the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) new Emergency Relief Program (ERP) to offset crop yield and value losses. “For over two years, farmers and ranchers across the …
#EveryBiteCounts: New Marketing Campaign Highlights Domestically Grown Produce
By Clint Thompson The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association’s new consumer-focused social media marketing campaign, #EveryBiteCounts, continues the organization’s effort to educate consumers about the importance of supporting local farmers. With the hashtag #EveryBiteCounts, the goal is to educate consumers about the impact of purchasing in-season domestically grown fruits and vegetables, says Chris Butts, executive vice president of the …
AFVGA Conference Returns to Gulf Shores in 2023
By Marlee Moore The Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association’s (AFVGA) annual Conference and Trade Show will have a new date next year. Normally held each fall, the association will meet next year on Feb. 9-10, 2023, in Gulf Shores, Alabama. AFVGA Executive Director Blake Thaxton is excited to welcome growers to the Lodge at Gulf State Park for a …
$250 Million Investment to Support Innovative American-made Fertilizer
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing it will support additional fertilizer production for American farmers to address rising costs, including the impact of Putin’s price hike on farmers, and spur competition. USDA will make available $250 million through a new grant program this summer to support independent, innovative and sustainable American fertilizer production to supply American farmers. Additionally, …
Clemson Beginning Farmer Program Assisting Next Generation of Growers
By Clint Thompson South Carolina producers interested in enrolling in the Clemson Extension South Carolina New and Beginning Farmer Program (SCNBFP) have until Feb. 20 to apply. The program is designed to help growers with zero to 10 years of experience, who are just starting their business or need help accelerating their farming operation, says Ben Boyles, SCNBFP director and …
Emergency Declared for Florida Post-Freeze Harvest
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Feb. 2 issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency in many counties where citrus and other agricultural commodities were affected by a Jan. 28–30 freeze. It specifically gives state officials authority to relax restrictions on commercial vehicles to facilitate an emergency harvest. “The relaxation of the restrictions on commercial vehicles is necessary to …
Alabama Counties Designated Disaster Areas From Hurricane Zeta
Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 13 Alabama counties as primary disaster areas, due to damage and losses caused by Hurricane Zeta Oct. 28–29. USDA reviewed the Loss Assessment Reports and determined that there were sufficient production losses to warrant a Secretarial natural disaster designation. In accordance with …
DeSantis Calls Reservoir ‘A Top Environmental Priority’
(NSF) — Gov. Ron DeSantis backed a controversial reservoir being built in the Everglades while announcing the state will use a pool of environmental money to help Miami-Dade County protect Biscayne Bay from continued degradation. DeSantis said his office will continue to support the $1.6 billion Everglades Agricultural Area reservoir, which was approved by the Legislature in 2017 but has …
Commissioner Nikki Fried on U.S. House Passage of MORE Act
(FDACS) — The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R.3884, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, by a vote of 228-164. This comprehensive, bipartisan cannabis reform package would decriminalize marijuana and take much-needed steps to address the racial injustices of prohibition. As of November 2020, a record-high 68 percent of Americans support marijuana legalization. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, a noted cannabis advocate, offered the …
Facts of the Flow: Lake Okeechobee, 2020 Year-to-Date
(SFWMD) — Here is the latest update on inflows into Lake Okeechobee for the calendar year to date. This data is provided by SFWMD’s DBHYDRO database. There has been no back-pumping into Lake Okeechobee from the Everglades Agricultural Area this year. Source: South Florida Water Management District Sponsored ContentNuseed Carinata Covers New GroundNovember 1, 2024TriEst Ag Group: Partners in ProfitabilityApril …