USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida will conduct a State Technical Committee meeting on March 3 by web conference. Chair of the event, Florida State Conservationist Juan Hernandez, says the meeting will have two distinctive portions. The committee is composed of individuals and groups from a variety of agricultural and natural resource interests, as well as farmers. And while the …
Media Training for Peanut Growers
The National Peanut Board will be holding a media training session for peanut growers. Tyron Spearman has the details.
USDA Forecasts Drop in Farm Income in 2021
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) just came out with its first farm income forecast for 2021. And according to a story from Gary Crawford, it could be an unusual income year. USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer has more key numbers from the new farm income forecast.
Researchers Help Expand Indoor Gardening Trend Triggered by Pandemic
(UF/IFAS) — COVID-19 led many people to start gardening, and it’s no passing fancy. Recent research shows that about 80% of those who took up gardening since the beginning of COVID-19 will continue the pastime in 2021. Growing in the outdoor garden is one thing. Tending to plants indoors at home presents other challenges and opportunities. As they recognized the …
The Goals of Pest Management
Editor’s note: This article grants one continuing education unit (CEU) in the Core category toward the renewal of a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services restricted-use pesticide license when the accompanying test is submitted and approved. Integrated pest management (IPM) uses a combination of methods to keep pest populations at an acceptable level, which are economical and have little …
2021 Florida Virtual Beef Conference
For the past 35 years, the Florida Panhandle Ag Extension Team has offered a cattle rancher educational program in Marianna that included a trade show. But, due to COVID19, the 2021 event will be a 90-minute webinar with two invited speakers, brief updates from cattle and forage researchers, and then a question and answer panel discussion. According to Doug Mayo, …
Employment Opportunities Good for Ag Graduates
A U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report that projects strong employment opportunities for new college graduates interested in agriculture and related fields opened with a cautionary preface. Termed “A 2020 Pandemic Note,” it stated that the underlying study and preparation for the report began in September 2019, “when global socio-economic conditions were much different from today.” It stated that fewer …
Florida Cattlemen’s Institute & Allied Trade Show is Thursday
The Florida Cattlemen’s Institute and Allied Trade Show will be held this Thursday, January 21, 2021, from 1:00 – 5:00 pm EST. But this year’s event, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, will be held virtually via Zoom and it will be free for all attendees. For more information, click here.
Weed-Control Strategies for Florida Groves
Weed management is a key component of Florida’s citrus production. A warm, humid climate and frequent rainfall provide a favorable environment for weed emergence and growth in citrus groves. Steve Futch, a former multi-county citrus Extension agent for the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, delivered a presentation during the 2021 virtual Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable …
Masters of Beef Advocacy Program Updates Training Modules
The Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) program recently announced they have updated their training modules. The updates, called MBA NextGen, make it easier for a new generation of farmers and ranchers to share their stories and advocate for the beef industry. Manager of Communications for the MBA program, Paul Dybedahl, told Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman this program is open to anyone. …