Florida agriculture took a wallop from Hurricane Ian last year. Throw in another hurricane (Nicole) and a freeze, and the disaster losses stacked up. The state’s citrus industry took a particularly hard hit. On Jan. 17, citrus industry representatives headed to Tallahassee to testify before the Florida Senate Agriculture Committee about the toll these weather events had on an already …
Ecosystem Services Move Forward in Florida
By Frank Giles Farming has never been an easy profession, but the past few years have placed even bigger burdens on the job. The pandemic, supply-chain disruptions, inflation and extreme weather events have all placed additional challenges on profitability. Even before the pandemic, a group of growers in Florida began recognizing challenges to their sustainability was a larger discussion than …
U.S. Trade Representative Acknowledges Problem With Rising Imports
By Clint Thompson The U.S. trade representative (USTR) promised specialty crop producers help but not an investigation into imports of Mexican produce. For one industry leader, that is at least an acknowledgement that Southeast fruit and vegetable producers are suffering from unfair trade practices. “The fact that they’ve agreed to set up a stakeholder committee is an acknowledgment that they …
Regulators Eye Scope 3 Emissions
By Frank Giles Working within the constraints of regulations is nothing new in agriculture. Farmers usually find ways to produce crops within these constraints, but they often add costs that cut into profitability and sometimes reduce production. PROPOSED RULEIn the fight against climate change, regulations are likely to be increased in all industries, including agriculture. Last spring, the Securities and …
Senate Labor Act Left Out of Omnibus Deal
By Frank Giles On Dec. 22, the U.S. Senate passed the omnibus appropriations bill. The $1.7 trillion measure would fund the federal government through the remainder of 2023. The measure now moves to the U.S. House of Representatives for a vote to avoid a government shutdown on the evening of Dec. 23. Much to the dismay of farm groups nationwide, …
No Ag Labor Reform in Omnibus Package
By Frank Giles On Dec. 22, the U.S. Senate passed the omnibus appropriations bill. The $1.7 trillion measure would fund the federal government through the remainder of 2023. The measure now moves to the U.S. House of Representatives for a vote to avoid a government shutdown on the evening of Dec. 23. Much to the dismay of farm groups nationwide, …
GFVGA Issues Letter to Georgia Congressional Delegation Following AEWR Announcement
By Clint Thompson The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association issued a letter on Dec. 5 to the entire Georgia Congressional Delegation. The letter was in response to the 14% increase in the Adverse Effect Wage Rate, which would increase from $11.99 per hour in 2022 to $13.68 per hour in 2023. Chris Butts, executive vice president of the Georgia …
Florida’s New AEWR Projected to be $14.33
Florida’s new Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) for 2023 is estimated to be $14.33, pending an official notice in the Federal Register by the Department of Labor (DOL). It would be an increase of nearly $2 from the $12.41 rate from the previous year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture released the results of its most recent Farm Labor Survey last …
Florida H-2A Adverse Effect Wage Rate Up Nearly $2
By Frank Giles The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released the results of its Farm Labor Survey. This data is used by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to determine the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR), which establishes the minimum wages for H-2A workers in states. The survey results indicate the new AEWR in 2023 is estimated to be $14.33, …
Florida Ag Expo Explores Fresh Produce Trends
By Frank Giles The 14th annual Florida Ag Expo was held on Nov. 2 at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Wimauma, Florida. The event was well attended by specialty crop growers, industry representatives and commercial suppliers. The event hosted a wide-ranging educational program touching on trends in produce marketing, the economy and the supply chain outlook for crop protection products. Breakout …