USDA to Issue More Than $235 Million to Farmers Hit by Natural Disasters, Including Hurricane Milton

Clint ThompsonFlorida

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing payments this week to agricultural producers impacted by natural disasters, including $143 million in crop insurance indemnities for Florida producers impacted by Hurricane Milton and about $92 million for livestock producers, nationwide, who faced increased supplemental feed costs as a result of forage losses due to 2022 qualifying drought and …

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Disease Concerns for Georgia Growers

Dan CooperDisease, Georgia

Not all citrus disease concerns center around huanglongbing (HLB). While HLB disease garners much of the headlines because of its devastation to Florida’s citrus crop, growers in the cold-hardy citrus region should be mindful of other diseases that can devastate a crop if left untreated. Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist, highlighted some of …

Nuseed Carinata Covers New Ground

Morgan AssafSponsored Content

Nuseed Carinata raises expectations as a superior alternative to fallow ground or conventional winter cover crops.  It not only provides substantial agronomic benefits to your land, carinata also is harvested for use as a unique feedstock for certified, stainable biofuels, rewarding growers for the contract production of carinata grain for end-use markets. The Gold Standard in Cover Crops Nuseed Carinata invigorates …

Farmer Following Two Hurricanes: It’s A Lot to Take

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Georgia

By Clint Thompson One major hurricane is enough to devastate a farming operation. How about two in less than a two-week span? It’s enough to rattle any specialty crop producer. L&M Family Farms has farming operations throughout Florida and one in Georgia. It was hit hard by Hurricane Helene when it moved through North Florida and South Georgia on Sept. …

USDA Under Secretary Moffitt Highlights Investments in Organic Agriculture

Clint ThompsonUSDA

Portland, Ore. — U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt attended the National Organic Standards Board fall meeting to highlight USDA’s investment in and support of the nation’s organic agricultural industry. USDA’s programs are opening new market opportunities for farmers, expanding consumer access to organic foods and helping producers take home a …

UF/IFAS Supports Florida After Hurricanes Helene, Milton

Clint ThompsonFlorida

Despite some having their own homes without power or damaged in the wake of Hurricane Helene, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) faculty and staff across North Florida readied themselves as an Incident Command Post was established at the Suwannee County Fairgrounds. “Our Extension agents got to work quickly, helping farmers put up fences, clear debris …

Dry Weather’s Impact in Southeast Alabama

Clint ThompsonAlabama

By Clint Thompson Dry weather conditions continue to linger in Alabama. Like other areas in the state, Southeast Alabama is feeling the impact, says Neil Kelly, Alabama regional Extension agent in Southeast Alabama. “I guess we’ve been the better part of three weeks since we’ve had a rain. This time of year, what rain we get lasts longer than it …

Hurricane Helene Impact: Mental Health a Top Priority for Georgia Farmers

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Hurricane Helene’s financial impact on Georgia farmers is staggering. The storm’s effect on the producers’ psyches is just as devastating. At a time when specialty crop growers are still assessing damages and calculating losses following the storm’s trek through Georgia on Sept. 26 and 27, producers are called to keep tabs on the mental well being of …

USDA Seeks Nominations for Advisory Committee on Agriculture Statistics

Clint ThompsonUSDA

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominations to the Advisory Committee on Agriculture Statistics. Members of this Committee advise the Secretary of Agriculture on the scope, timing and content of periodic agricultural censuses, as well as surveys of agriculture and other related industries. The committee also makes recommendations on the content of agricultural reports and represents …