After eight years of service, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam will leave his office, making way for Commissioner-elect Nikki Fried. From dealing with hurricanes to fighting for Florida farmers in D.C., Putnam has been a dedicated servant to Florida’s agriculture industry. However, he says the industry has given him far more than what he has ever given it. AgNet …
Farm Bill Helps Pave Way for Hemp Production
The farm bill has passed through the House and the Senate and received President Trump’s signature on Dec. 20. While some agricultural industries were let down, other industries may have an opportunity to thrive. According to Jerry Fankhauser, assistant director of the University of Florida’s Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, the farm bill includes language that will take industrial hemp off …
The 2018 Farm Bill Is Officially Here
The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, known as the 2018 farm bill, has now been made official after being signed by President Donald Trump today. It was a long and strenuous process drafting a version that both congressional houses could agree to. The farm bill will ultimately cost $867 billion over the next 10 years through a series of programs intended …
Agreement Reached in Principle on 2018 Farm Bill
House and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairmen Mike Conaway (R-Texas) and Pat Roberts (R- Kan.) and Ranking Members Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) made the following announcement on the state of the 2018 farm bill negotiations: “We’re pleased to announce that we’ve reached an agreement in principle on the 2018 farm bill. We are working to finalize legal and …
Fried Attends Lunch Meeting with Ag Leaders
At a lunch meeting in Tallahassee, Florida, with representatives of many of the state’s agricultural organizations, Florida Agriculture Commissioner-Elect Nikki Fried told the group she plans to be a “champion for this industry” in her new role. Several major issues facing Florida agriculture were discussed during the lunch meeting, which was the first meeting of its kind with Fried since …
Fried Excited to Serve Florida Agriculture
After the recount madness that ended on Nov. 18, Fort Lauderdale lawyer Nikki Fried claimed victory to be Florida’s next Commissioner of Agriculture. Fried has quickly shifted her focus to the future as the commissioner-elect and is getting ready for a smooth transition. In an exclusive interview with AgNet Media’s Randall Weiseman, Fried talked about her campaign as well as …
Florida Strawberries Face Devastation with No Protection from Unfair Trade
WASHINGTON D.C. — The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) fails to provide effective near-term relief measures for Southeast fruit and vegetable producers. Florida is the nation’s largest producer of fresh strawberries during the winter months; however, central Mexico’s strawberry production increased fivefold from 2000 to 2017. “This exponential increase presents a clear and present danger to the sustainability of the Florida strawberry …
Lake Okeechobee Fishermen Set the Record Straight on Algae Facts and Fiction
By Gary Cooper My travels through my childhood region of South Florida in recent months allowed me to bore into a few more angles of the algae story. Much of what the public is being told about Lake Okeechobee water and its connection to green algae in coastal waterways is simply not true. The facts remain the facts, and this …
Florida Candidates Address Agriculture
Farm Credit and Ag Communicators of Florida hosted a candidates’ forum on Oct. 4. Several candidates running for Florida offices in the upcoming general election shared their views with the agricultural community. AgNet Media’s Josh McGill attended the event and spoke with Lisa Lochridge, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association director of public affairs and board member of the Ag Communicators …
Perdue on Lack of Protection for Southeastern Specialty Crop Growers in USMCA
It was announced on Sept. 30 that the United States, Mexico and Canada reached a new deal to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The deal will be called the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). NAFTA was a trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico that was made in 1994 under the Clinton administration. The idea for …