According to the Alabama Farmers Federation website, the Alabama Farmers Agriculture Foundation (AFAF) is accepting applications through Jan. 15 from farmers who suffered losses related to Hurricane Zeta. The Hurricane Relief Fund was established in response to calls from farmers and businesses who wanted to help their neighbors. It was utilized earlier this year for Hurricane Sally after it made landfall …
Commissioner Nikki Fried Comments on New Coronavirus Stimulus Package
Tallahassee, Fla. – Late last night, Congressional leaders agreed upon a $900 billion coronavirus relief bill. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues setting new case records, the bill will provide some direct assistance to families and additional funding for food production and distribution, among other priorities. On the bill, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried offered the following statement: “For more than …
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 …
Factors Behind Rebound in the Florida Citrus Market
Industry regional association leaders scan the scene and give their take on where this season is headed.
UGA Encourages Growers to Fill Out COVID-19 Survey
The University of Georgia wants feedback from producers impacted by COVID-19. Growers have until Dec. 23 to fill out a survey that will help industry leaders gauge the impact the pandemic has had on Georgia’s agricultural sector. The survey covers various facets of farming operations that have been altered since the pandemic began in mid-March. This includes commodity prices, disposal …
UF Hemp Program Overseer: Good Science Takes Time
“Good science takes time.” That is the message Jerry Frankhauser is preaching. The assistant director of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station who oversees the University of Florida hemp research program stresses that like other projects at other universities, the UF/IFAS Industrial Hemp Pilot Project will take between 3 and 5 years before they have a handle on how hemp will …
Plan Now to Keep Workers Safe During Next Harvest Season
It is likely the coronavirus pandemic will be a threat for most of the country next year, even as vaccines have begun to be administered. Vegetable and specialty crop producers are encouraged to be prepared when planning for next season’s harvest, specifically for how to keep their H-2A workers healthy. Allison Crittenden, Director of Congressional Relations at the American Farm …
Food-Safety Concerns Sought for Produce Industry
The University of Florida (UF) and Rutgers University are teaming up to find out what food-safety issues are the biggest concerns across the produce industry. Members of the produce industry are invited to participate in an anonymous online survey that will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher Michelle Danyluk said the survey …
Better Together: Why the 1935 Florida Citrus Commission Had it Right
Despite all of 2020’s obstacles, the citrus industry is alive and thriving.
New UF Blueberry App First Phase in Two-Part Project
A new University of Florida (UF) smartphone app will provide immediate help to the state’s blueberry producers who are gearing up for the upcoming season. It is the first phase of a two-part project that Patricio Munoz, the UF/IFAS blueberry breeder and an assistant professor of horticultural sciences, tackled in hopes of consolidating chunks of information into one place that …