Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Charlie Bronson today announcing shipping restrictions have been relaxed to help Florida farmers move crop harvests more quickly in preparation for cold weather expected in the coming days. Bronson explains in this report.
USDA Ramping Up Efforts To Keep Invasive Species Out of U S
This release in this week from USDA in Washington DC: New Methods Development Laboratory Planned for South Miami, Fla. WASHINGTON, Jan. 15, 2009–The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) plans to open a new Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection (AQI) and Port Technology Methods Development Laboratory in South Miami, Fla., later this year. Scientists at …
FL Special Session Budget Cuts Hit UF/IFAS, FDACS
Florida Farm Bureau’s Ben Parks in Tallahassee offers more details and insight into the Special Session budget cuts and key agriculture concerns going forward, since much more budget cutting is expected in the general session yet to come. In the first report below, Farm Bureau’s Parks discusses the general situation and some of the impacts to FDACS, in the second …
How Will Watermelons Fare in a Tighter Economy?
Florida leads the U S in watermelon production, and in light of the present economic situation all around, we asked National Watermelon Association Executive Bob Morrissey how he felt watermelons would fare on the marketing side considering the consumer belt tightening going on. Hear his comments in this report. By the way, some in our citrus audience may recognize Bob, …
Food Safety Scares: It Can Happen To ANY Commodity
Reggie Brown of the Florida Tomato Exchange (photo) was a featured speaker in a couple of the sessions at the recent Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference in Savannah, GA. After what he and his industry went through in 2008 due to innaccurate reporting of a salmonella outbreak that did not involve tomatoes at all, Brown had some pointed comments for …
FL Ag Urged To Attend FL Senate Committee Workshops
In this report, comments from Florida Senator Don Gaetz about a series of three workshops scheduled in the immediate future by the Florida Senate Committee on the Economy, which he chairs. Gaetz says agriculture is a key to Florida’s economy, and agricluture legislative representatives are urging farmers and ranchers to turn out at these meetings, even on short notice, to …
Cold Weather Concerns for Upcoming Several Days
We realize farmers are likely the world’s best weather watchers, so it should be no surprise that concerns about this week’s expected cold weather seem to be growing with each forecast. We have received a number of weather warnings over the last day or so from a variety of sources, about possible freeze events in numerous agriculture production areas of …
USDA Issues Final Rule on Mandatory Country of Origin Labelling
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12, 2009 — (USDA) The United States Department of Agriculture today announced details of the final regulation for the mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) program required by the 2002 and 2008 farm bills. The full text of the final rule will be published in the Jan. 15, 2009 Federal Register. The rule becomes effective on March 16, …
Southeast Fruit and Vegetable Conference Wraps Up
The Southeast Fruit and Vegetable Conference wrapped up in Savannah yesterday and Gary Cooper has an overview of some of the highlights.
Food Safety On The Farm A Regional F&V Conference Focus
Food Safety as it relates to farm operations was a hot topic at this week’s Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference in Savannah, GA. While some specific crop producer groups are preparing mandatory food safety related production practices, Tom Stenzel of the United Fresh Produce Association (UFPA) says one size does not fit all. Stenzel told growers that food safety management …