We’ve talked before about how the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association (ACA) continues to cultivate future industry leaders through the Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program (YCLP), which is funded in part by the Alabama State Beef Checkoff. ACA Director of Field Services Morgan Desselle says applications for the 2021 program are now open, if this is something you are interested in taking part …
NCC Reminder About CFAP 2 Signup Deadline
The National Cotton Council (NCC) reminds farmers and ranchers that the deadline to apply for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2) is Dec. 11, 2020. This program provides direct relief to producers who continue to face market disruptions and associated costs because of COVID-19. NCC Vice President of Washington Operations, Reece Langley, encourages producers who have yet to …
White Strawberry One of Two New UF/IFAS Varieties Ready for Harvest Season
(UF/IFAS) — A white strawberry? Not red? Yes, you “read” that right. And it smells a little like a pineapple. It’s also novel in that it’s the first white strawberry to go to market in the United States. Just in time for the west-central Florida strawberry harvesting season, which runs from now until the end of March, UF/IFAS is releasing …
National Cotton Harvest Pace Ahead of Average
While cotton harvest continues to lag a bit across the Southeast, USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey says the national harvest pace is ahead of average. USDA notes 96% of the nation’s peanut crop had been harvested as of this past Sunday. With harvest winding down for most crops, Rippey says this is the last crop progress report for 2020. In Alabama, …
Ways to Use Cinnamon in the Garden
Some ways to use cinnamon in the garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Cinnamon is commonly used for baking. But it also has benefits for the garden. It’s is an easy to find spice that you can pick up at just about any grocery store or convenience store. Although it’s not the cheapest spice, it’s not the …
USDA to Conduct 2020 Local Food Marketing Practices Survey
(USDA/NASS) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct the 2020 Local Food Marketing Practices Survey, beginning this December. First conducted in 2015, this Census of Agriculture special study will look at local and regional food systems and provide new data on how locally grown food in the United States are marketed and sold. …
FDACS Encourages Producers Impacted by Tropical Storm Eta to Seek USDA Disaster Assistance
(FDACS) — With Tropical Storm Eta’s flooding and high winds impacting Florida agricultural operations, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is encouraging farmers and livestock producers to seek technical and financial assistance available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). As agricultural producers assess damages, they should contact their local USDA Service Center to report losses and learn more about program …
Commission to Consider Oyster Harvesting Ban
(NSF) — Members of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will be asked on Dec. 16 to finalize the suspension of wild-oyster harvesting in Apalachicola Bay for the next five years. The issue, which will be part of a two-day online commission meeting, stems from efforts to improve the oyster population and revitalize the collapsed fishery. Commissioners on July …
Peanut Industry Concerned about Tariff Negotiations
While the U.S. peanut industry continues to encourage a quick resolution to the retaliatory tariffs on U.S. peanuts by the United Kingdom (UK), there are questions as to whether negotiations can take place while President Trump is still in office, or if they will have to wait for the Biden Administration to take over. Tyron Spearman has the story. Sponsored …
USDA Updates Conservation Standards
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) recently completed and published updates to its set of National Conservation Practice Standards, which include 58 standards that have been updated or revised since August. According to Acting NRCS Chief, Kevin Norton, those standards cover a wide range of practices including irrigation water management. He notes that USDA’s conservation efforts include a …