The flurry of last-minute regulations from the Trump administration includes a final rule concerning domestic hemp production. The Department of Agriculture published the final rule notice in the Federal Register Tuesday. The U.S. Hemp Growers Association says the final rule appears to address many of the concerns the organization expressed during a comment period. Changes include allowing a producer a …
Export Markets Remain Key for Southeast Pecan Producers
With the 2020 pecan season in the books, growers in the Southeast are looking to write a new chapter in 2021, one they hope will have a better ending. The story of this past season’s crop centered on devastatingly low prices and low morale among farmers still trying to recover from Hurricane Michael in 2018. The biggest question remains, what …
Challenge Builds To Protect Florida Citrus Interests From Unfair Trade
Florida Citrus Mutual’s Mike Sparks says addressing Mexican OJ is now at the top of agenda for industry stakeholders.
Secretary Perdue Statement on H-2A Modernization
(Washington, D.C., January 15, 2021) U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued a statement today applauding the Department of Labor’s final rule modernizing the H-2A visa program: “This final rule streamlining and modernizing the H-2A visa process will go a long way in ensuring American farmers have access to a stable and skilled workforce, all while removing unnecessary bureaucratic processes. …
USDA Publishes Final Rule for Domestic Production of Hemp
WASHINGTON, Jan. 15, 2021—The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today the final rule regulating the production of hemp in the United States. The final rule incorporates modifications to regulations established under the interim final rule (IFR) published in October 2019. The modifications are based on public comments following the publication of the IFR and lessons learned during the 2020 …
Georgia Vegetable Growers to Vote to Continue Assessment
Georgia vegetable growers will vote Feb. 1 through March 2, 2021 to determine the continuation of the Georgia Vegetable Commission marketing order which allows assessment of one cent per marketing unit of vegetables as described in the current marketing order. The marketing order applies to growers with 50 acres or more of total annual production of the following crops – …
PPP an Option Again for Business Owners Amid Ongoing Pandemic
The second round of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) offers financial relief to business owners continuing to struggle amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Bob Redding, who works for the Redding Firm and serves as a lobbyist for agricultural groups in Washington, D.C., encourages vegetable and specialty crop producers to consider enrolling in the program. “We also have a second round …
Auburn Extension Specialist Encouraged by Chill Hours Accumulation
Cooler temperatures so far in 2021 should be an encouraging sign for Alabama fruit producers who need chilling hours to make a crop this year. “I’m a little more encouraged,” said Edgar Vinson, assistant research professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Horticulture at Auburn University. “We did accumulate more and more than we originally thought by the end …
States See Changes in U.S. Citrus Forecast
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) dropped another 2 million boxes from the January forecast for Florida’s orange crop but added 200,000 boxes to the state’s grapefruit projection. ORANGESFlorida’s total orange crop is now forecast at 54 million boxes, down 4 percent from 56 million boxes in December. The orange reduction was in the non-Valencia …
Troxler Promotes Two to Leadership Roles with NCDA&CS
RALEIGH – Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announced on Monday the promotion of Kaleb Rathbone of Waynesville to assistant commissioner for Western NC Agricultural Programs and Small Farms and Teresa Lambert of Laurel Springs as the director of the Research Stations Division. Lambert fills the role created by Rathbone’s promotion. Rathbone replaces Bill Yarborough who retired as special assistant to the …