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Below you'll see everything we could locate for your search of “USDA”
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 90% of Florida’s agricultural operations are small farms with gross sales under $250,000. In South Florida, small farmers benefit from an ideal subtropical climate but need more options for high-value fruit and vegetable crops to grow profitably and meet demands. “Farmland acreage has decreased due to increased urbanization in South Florida,” said Xiaoying …
The cover story of the August issue of Specialty Crop Grower Magazine highlights the ongoing concerns over foreign investments being made into farmland across the U.S. As of 2021, about 3.1% or 40.83 million acres of U.S. ag land is foreign owned. Southeastern states like Florida, Alabama and Georgia have implemented action to address the issue. The Florida Legislature passed …
By Clint Thompson A positive step was taken for Georgia specialty crop growers in the current lawsuit against the Department of Labor (DOL), challenging the new worker rules proposed for the H-2A program. Chris Butts, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA), a plaintiff in the case, said the implementation of the rules has been delayed …
By Clint Thompson Agricultural pests are sometimes not just bugs and diseases but include animals looking for a food source. Unfortunately, for Georgia’s specialty crop producers, that food source is often their crops. Georgia’s legislative leaders are arming state agencies with substantial funding in next year’s budget to tackle this problem. Included in the budget was $150,000 directed to the …
Specialty crop producers are always looking for ways to increase their yields and boost the ability of their crops to resist pests, diseases and heat spurred by climate change. That’s particularly the case when you grow crops in a high-intensity production system, which farmers use to produce tomatoes in Florida. Such systems require a lot of water, nutrients and chemicals …
The production of the top five fresh vegetables, not including potatoes, increased 2% from the prior season, though the national supply of fresh-market vegetables dropped by 1.2% in 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service Situation and Outlook Report. The production increase was instigated by expansions in planted acreage, improved weather conditions and increased yields. Increases …
WASHINGTON – Nominations are currently being accepted for farmers and ranchers to serve on local U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees. These committees make important decisions about how federal farm programs are administered locally. All nomination forms for the 2024 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA office by Aug. 1, 2024. …
Successfully operating any agribusiness such as a farm, ranch or nursery requires strong financial skills to ensure profitability and sustainability. Too often, agribusiness owners don’t survive due to key knowledge gaps in business planning and tax management. “A business plan is critical to the financial sustainability of any agriculture business,” said Fredy Ballen, a University of Florida Institute of Food …
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is updating and issuing a Federal Order designed to continue protecting the domestic pepper and tomato industries while safely deregulating tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV)-positive tomatoes and peppers for consumption. Under the new Federal Order, APHIS will maintain its strong safeguards for imported and domestic …
By Clint Thompson A trade mission to India in April highlighting pecans was successful. But more education is needed to make exporting pecans to India a reality and not just a dream. Justin Jones, Georgia pecan grower, chairman of industry relations for the American Pecan Council and co-owner of brand Zorro Pecans, attended the trip and talked about the educational …
