By Clint Thompson The approved referendum for the Georgia Pecan Commission will help further the state’s status as a leader in pecan production. Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist, explains why the referendum passing at 82.7% is a win for Georgia’s industry. “The pecan industry, compared to most other crops, we are still in the dark ages as …
August Lending Rates for Producers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced loan interest rates for August 2023, which were effective Aug. 1. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide access to capital to help producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures or meet cash flow needs. Operating, Ownership and Emergency Loans The FSA offers farm ownership …
Sen. Ossoff Pushing for Onion Breeder Position at ARS
By Clint Thompson Georgia’s Vidalia onion crop is already one of the top vegetables produced in the state. U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff (GA) wants to ensure the crop continues to spike in production and popularity. He is calling on the U.S. Senate’s Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies to appropriate funding to support …
Report: OJ Consumption Lowers Dementia Risk
A recent study finds that moderate consumption of up to one cup per day of natural juices, such as 100% orange juice (OJ), lowers the risk of dementia. Inversely, consuming up to two cups per day of artificially sweetened beverages, and more than two cups per day of sugar-sweetened beverages, increases the risk of dementia. The study was published by The American …
Building a Better Understanding of Ecosystem Services in Agriculture
By Frank Giles There has been a lot of media coverage and hype about the potential of agriculture to benefit from emerging carbon-capture markets in recent years. Various certifying agencies and groups have begun jockeying for position for their place in what could become a new segment in agriculture as the movement progresses. But there remains many questions about what …
Japanese Agency Tours Florida Citrus Industry
Yamano & Associates, Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) partner agency in Japan for over 40 years, recently concluded an educational tour in Florida, continuing its efforts to explore and engage with key individuals in the Florida citrus industry. The two-day tour provided the agency with a unique opportunity to closely observe the operations and processes involved in the Florida citrus …
AgNet Media ‘Ecstatic’ to Have Commissioner Simpson at Expo Event
By Clint Thompson This year’s Citrus and Specialty Crop Expo is less than two weeks away. Registration is still ongoing for those interested in attending the two-day event at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, Florida. One of the highlights this year at the general session on Wednesday, Aug. 16, will be the keynote speaker, Florida Ag Commissioner Wilton Simpson. …
Senators Warnock, Tillis Introduce Legislation to Support Georgia Specialty Crop Farmers by Strengthening the Federal Safety Net
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced the Protecting America’s Orchardists and Nursery Tree Growers Act, which would reform the Tree Assistance Program (TAP), a critical farm safety net program. The legislation would expand eligibility for TAP by lowering the mortality threshold and allowing farmers to use TAP funding to replant alternative breeds of trees or bushes. In a June Agriculture committee hearing, …
Crop Insurance Deadline Nears in Florida for Cabbage Growers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) reminds Florida cabbage producers that the final date to apply for crop insurance coverage for the 2024 crop year is Tuesday, Aug. 15. Current policyholders who wish to adjust their existing coverage also have until the Aug. 15 sales closing date to do so. Federal crop insurance is critical to …
UF CALS Hosts 2023 Florida Youth Institute
By Maegan Beatty Every summer, the University of Florida College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) partners with the World Food Prize Foundation to develop a youth education program called the Florida Youth Institute (FYI). Students from across Florida, as well as other states, write a research paper about a developing country of their choice and one specific issue or …