WASHINGTON DC (USDA/FSA) – The 2018 Farm Bill mandated changes to the treatment of cover crops for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs, which add more flexibility to when cover crops must be terminated while remaining eligible for crop insurance. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Risk Management Agency (RMA) developed new guidelines and policy provisions …
Plants That Enrich Your Garden Soil
Growing your vegetables takes a lot out of your soil. Cathy Isom fills you in about a few plants that enrich your garden soil. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. When it comes to enriching the soil in your garden, instead of turning to chemicals and or even organic fertilizers, try using what nature already provides… soil enriching …
NRCS Florida State Technical Committee Meeting
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida has announced they will conduct a State Technical Committee Meeting on May 21, from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Doyle Conner Agriculture Building Auditorium in Gainesville. The meeting is open to the public and will give an overview of the 2018 Farm Bill programs and conservation easements. This year’s …
Tackle Those Garden Pests Now
Cathy Isom has some great tips about how to tackle garden pests now for a healthy crop next year. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Tackle Those Garden Pests Now Garden pests don’t take a break in the winter time so it’s important to get ahead of the game so they won’t ruin your future crops. You may …
Winterize Your Garden for a Better Spring Crop
Cathy Isom has a few great tips about how to winterize your garden for a better crop next spring. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Winterize Your Garden for a Better Spring Crop Now is the time to get your garden in good shape before the frigid cold temps hit and winter sets in for the coming months. The little …
NRCS Helping Landowners Improve Soil Health
Kenneth McAlister, a nationally recognized soil health champion from Texas, uses no-till and cover crops to diversify his operation and strengthen his bottom line. And when it comes to farming cotton, McAlister has his bases covered and most of his fields. In a story from USDA, he said “No-till really helped improve our soil health, but when we started planting …
USDA Invests in Projects to Spur Innovation in Grazing Lands, Organic Systems and Soil Health
USDA will invest more than $10.6 million for 22 new projects that will drive public and private sector innovation in conserving natural resources in 27 states. The competitive Conservation Innovation Grants program helps spur development and adoption of new conservation approaches and technologies. “Through our Conservation Innovation Grants, we are able to bring together a wide array of groups to drive innovation …
Dealing with Compacted Soil
Compacted soil is something every gardener deals with at the beginning of most garden seasons. Cathy Isom has some ways to deal with compacted soil in your garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Dealing with Compacted Soil When faced with less than favorable gardening conditions such as compacted soil, and turning the soil with a shovel or …
Celebration Florida H. S. Takes 1st Place Envirothon in Regional Competition
Students from Celebration High School in Osceola County have placed first for the second year-in-a-row in the annual Orange, Osceola, and Seminole Regional Envirothon competition held February 8, 2018 at Harry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando. The 5-member winning team of sophomores and juniors was made up of Julian Landin, Matthew Eynan, Bradley Band, Spencer Schmidt, and Mason Theurer. Envirothon …
Financial Assistance Available for Soil Health through Alabama Partnership
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist for Alabama Ben Malone announced that the agency is providing funding to help landowners improve soil health by enhancing current conservation efforts through a Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) project. This RCPP project will be funded through the Agency’s Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). A collaborative effort between NRCS and the Alabama Soil and …