The U.S. House Committee on Agriculture on May 11 reported favorably on a bill that would provide relief to Florida agriculture producers harmed by Hurricanes Ian and Nicole in 2022. The Block Grant Assistance Act is a bill to ensure the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) can provide that relief. The bill will head to the U.S. House floor for a final …
Block Grant Assistance Act Advances
The U.S. House Committee on Agriculture on May 11 reported favorably on a bill that would provide relief to Florida agriculture producers harmed by Hurricanes Ian and Nicole in 2022. The Block Grant Assistance Act is a bill to ensure the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) can provide that relief. The bill will head to the U.S. House floor for a final …
Farmer Testimony: There’s No Future in Farming
By Clint Thompson Farming is more than just a specialty crop producer’s occupation; it’s a way of life. That is why growers become emotional when discussing their livelihood that is threatened by surging input costs, unfair trade practices and costly labor alternatives. Michael Hill is one of those farmers that’s been challenged by the current agricultural landscape. He discussed the …
Stuart Scholarship Applications Open
The Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA) reminds college students interested in pursuing a career in the specialty crop industry that the 2023 Stuart Scholarship applications are due Saturday, April 15. The scholarship is available to incoming juniors through graduate program students who intend to pursue a career in the industry. The FFVA created the Mike and Karen Stuart Scholarship in 2021 …
Stuart Scholarship Application Period Open
The Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA) reminds college students interested in pursuing a career in the specialty crop industry that the 2023 Stuart Scholarship applications are due Saturday, April 15. The scholarship is available to incoming juniors through graduate program students who intend to pursue a career in the industry. The FFVA created the Mike and Karen Stuart Scholarship …
Grower Associations Gearing Up for Farm Bill
By Clint Thompson What the future of agriculture looks like could be shaped by how discussions materialize this year in preparation for the 2023 farm bill. The farm bill’s passage will have lasting ramifications for Southeast specialty crop producers who hope to remain sustainable for the foreseeable future. For one specialty crop organization, the bill’s inclusion or exclusion of language …
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 …
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, …
Florida Associations Applaud Senate Farm Labor Bill
The Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA) supports the bill introduced in the Senate on Thursday, titled the Affordable and Secure Food Act of 2022 (ASFA). The bill is similar to the Farm Workforce Modernization Act that was passed in the House in 2021. It would create a path to legal status for undocumented farmworkers and freeze the Adverse Effect …