By Lourdes Rodriguez Just past the midpoint of a pilot project to study if industrial hemp grows well in Florida, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers are already looking ahead to see what more they can learn. The UF/IFAS Industrial Hemp Pilot Project team of scientists is engaged in a two-year research project started with hemp plantings in the spring of 2019. A report on the project’s findings will go …
Commissioner Nikki Fried Highlights $522 Million in COVID-19 Crop Losses and Importance of Agriculture Aid
Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Agriculture Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) released the Florida Seasonal Crop COVID-19 Impact Assessment, a new report providing data on crop losses facing Florida farmers. Based on figures reported by growers, total crop losses across the state through mid-April 2020 may exceed $522.5 million. Florida is the nation’s second-largest producer of seasonal specialty …
Facts of the Flow: Lake Okeechobee, 2020 Year-to-Date
(SFWMD) — Here is the latest update on inflows into Lake Okeechobee for the calendar year to date. This data is provided by SFWMD’s DBHYDRO database. There has been no back-pumping into Lake Okeechobee from the Everglades Agricultural Area this year. Source: South Florida Water Management District Sponsored ContentNuseed Carinata Covers New GroundNovember 1, 2024TriEst Ag Group: Partners in ProfitabilityApril …
UF/IFAS Extension Veteran: Farmers Give to Food Banks in Time of COVID-19
By: Brad Buck, bradbuck@ufl.edu With the COVID-19 shutdowns increasing people’s need for food, some consumers rely on nonprofits for a bite to eat. To help, farmers in Florida and elsewhere are donating excess produce to food banks, said a UF/IFAS expert. In fact, some food banks are helping farmers by offsetting some of their costs, thus incentivizing growers to harvest …
New Partnerships Emerge for COVID-19 Relief
Florida Farmers Team with State Leaders to Launch Farm to Inmate Program Harvested produce crops feed Florida Department of Corrections’ (FDC) more than 87,000 inmates; action saves food costs while reducing COVID-19 related supply chain impacts. (FFA) — Florida farmers are uncovering new solutions to address supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. With Florida’s emergency order to shutter businesses …
U.S. Sugar Makes Generous Donation
Contact: Judy Clayton Sanchez The People of U.S. Sugar Provide More than 120,000 Servings of Fresh, Locally-Grown Green Beans to Employees, South Florida Churches, Healthcare Providers and Food Banks Clewiston, FL – As part of its ongoing local response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Sugar announced on Wednesday it is contributing nearly 1,000 crates, or the equivalent of 120,000 …
Farmers and Other Essential Food Production Workers will Carry Permission Letters during COVID-19 Shutdown
(U.S. Sugar) — All U.S. Sugar employees and suppliers who have been deemed essential to the nation’s food supply and national security will begin carrying authorization letters to inform authorities that they are approved to be out of their homes and working. “Our farmers, workers and other essential food production vendors will continue working around the clock to keep safe, …
Farmers, Other Essential Food Production Workers Will Carry Permission Letters During COVID-19 Shutdown
Contact: Judy Clayton Sanchez 863-902-2210 Clewiston, FL – Today, all U.S. Sugar employees and suppliers who have been deemed essential to the nation’s food supply and national security will begin carrying authorization letters to inform authorities that they are approved to be out of their homes and working. “Our farmers, workers and other essential food production vendors will continue working …
Coronavirus Concerns Impacting U.S. Agriculture
By Ashley Robinson U.S. agriculture has always had a great responsibility on its shoulders — to keep food on the tables of consumers despite the challenges that come its way. However, the situations facing production agriculture now in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic are weighing heavily on the minds of farmers. “There is a lot of anxiety and concern …
Citrus Meeting Addresses Production Practices
By Clint Thompson Citrus was the focus of an annual meeting held in Quincy, Florida, on March 12. Growers from Florida and Georgia converged at the North Florida Research and Education Center to learn about various citrus management practices for the region. GROWER-GUIDED AGENDA Danielle Sprague, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension agent in Jefferson …