Hemp Growers Looking to Establish Checkoff

Clint Thompson Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hemp

The National Industrial Hemp Council and the Hemp Industries Association entered into an agreement to look into the possibility of establishing a marketing checkoff program for hemp. “Today is another step forward in the right direction for hemp farmers and consumers of hemp-related products,” says Patrick Atagi (Ah-TAH-gee), board chair of NIHC. “A checkoff program would further legitimize a rapidly …

hemp

FDACS Accepting Hemp Applications

Clint Thompson Florida, Hemp

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently approved Florida’s state hemp program and today, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) began accepting applications from farmers seeking to grow industrial hemp. A 2018 federal farm bill legalized hemp as an agricultural product after decades of debate about the issue. Industrial hemp can be used in numerous products and …

Alabama

USDA Approves Florida’s State Hemp Program

Dan Florida, Hemp, Industry News Release

(FDACS) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) formally approved Florida’s state hemp program, clearing the way for Florida growers to begin cultivating hemp later this month. Agriculture Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried, who will oversee Florida’s state hemp program through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), offered the following statement: “After months of incorporating feedback from the public, growers, and industry stakeholders, …

aquaculture

UF Surveys to Identify Impact of Pandemic on Florida’s Agriculture and Marine Industries

Dan Aquaculture, Beef, Cattle, Corn, Cotton, Dairy, Economy, Equine, Field Crops, Florida, Forestry, Fruits, General, Hemp, Labor and Immigration, Livestock, Nursery Crops, Organic, Pasture, Peanuts, Pecans, Pollinators, Pork, Poultry, Research, Seeds, Sheep-Goats, Soybeans, Specialty Crops, Sugar, Vegetables, Wheat

(UF/IFAS) — With agriculture and marine industries occupying a large portion of Florida’s economy, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) wants to better understand how measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 are impacting these sectors. Starting today, faculty from the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics (FRE) department are deploying surveys to UF/IFAS Extension agents …

dignity act

Coronavirus Safety Fact Sheets for Workers

Dan Alabama, Aquaculture, Beef, Cattle, Citrus, Corn, Cotton, Dairy, Field Crops, Florida, Forestry, Fruits, General, Georgia, Hemp, Industry, Industry News Release, Labor and Immigration, Livestock, Nursery Crops, Organic, Peanuts, Pecans, Research, Soybeans, Specialty Crops, Sugar, Vegetables, Wheat

Author: E. Vanessa Campoverde, UF/IFAS (UF/IFAS) — I have received several questions regarding what to do if you have employees or work with others during this Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in agricultural operations and related businesses. While there is plenty of information about how the virus work, how to protect yourself and others, etc. I compiled some information (with images) that can …

florida

FFBF and FDACS Host Town Hall on COVID-19 & Florida Agriculture

Dan Economy, Field Crops, Florida, Fruits, General, Hemp, Specialty Crops, Sugar, Vegetables

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and Florida Farm Bureau President John L. Hoblick held a town hall meeting on Thursday with the state’s agriculture community on pressing issues. Some of the topics of discussion included: Ensuring agriculture and all related industries are essential at the federal, state and local levels. Promoting the continued and efficient processing of H-2A worker visas. Inter- and intra-state weight waivers for …

hemp

Secretary Perdue and Senators Discuss Hemp Details

Dan Hemp

We told you late last month that the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) had announced it will not require all labs testing the THC levels of U.S. hemp to be certified by the agency during the 2020 crop year. USDA Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, Greg Ibach, first announced the change. The department is also planning to give states more …

hemp

Ask the Expert: A Hemp Q&A

Dan Hemp, Industry News Release

(USDA) — Ask the Expert is a new series launching on farmers.gov. In this Ask the Expert, Andrew Kowalski answers a few questions about how farmers can use the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Multi-Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) hemp pilot program to insure their hemp crop. Kowalski is a risk management specialist with the Risk Management Agency (RMA) based in …

bills

Hemp Legislation Passes in Georgia House

Clint Thompson Georgia, Hemp

Week eight of the 2020 session for the Georgia General Assembly saw more talk about the Right to Farm Bill (HB 545), but there was also action concerning hemp legislation, and it has been another topic that many have been following. Georgia Agribusiness Council (GAC) President Will Bentley has an update on both of those issues, along with looking at …