On one type of farm, Christmas day is an extra special day, unlike all others. And while your thoughts may lean towards a Christmas tree farm, Gary Crawford has a story about a crop you may not think about. Sponsored ContentVerdant Robotics Offers Growers Targeted Application of Herbicides or Beneficials through SharpShooter™June 16, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Resources To …
USDA Receives Delivery of First Significant FMD Vaccine Bank Purchase
Earlier this year, the Department of Agriculture announced the first significant purchase for its Foot-and-Mouth vaccine bank. This month, the purchase worth $27 million was delivered. The establishment of a robust FMD vaccine bank has been a top, long-term priority for the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), which was instrumental in advocating for its establishment as part of the 2018 …
Chores You Should Be Doing in the Garden Right Now
Some winter chores you should be doing in the garden right now. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. There’s a lot going on under the soil when the temperatures cool down and in some parts of the country freezes. While nature has its own ways of coping with the cold, dark months, here are some winter garden chores …
Commissioner Fried Comments on Hurricane Sally Secretarial Disaster Declaration
Tallahassee, Fla. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture granted Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried’s request on Tuesday for a Secretarial disaster declaration for several key counties impacted by Hurricane Sally. The Secretarial disaster declaration names Calhoun, Gadsden, Holmes, Jackson, and Washington Counties as primary disaster areas related to Hurricane Sally, as well as Bay, Gulf, Leon, Liberty, and Walton as …
USDA Clears Santa’s Reindeer for Entry into the United States
(USDA/Washington, D.C., Dec, 23, 2020) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today issued a movement permit to Mr. S. Nicholas Claus of the North Pole, a broker with Worldwide Gifts, Unlimited. The permit will allow reindeer to enter and exit the United States between the hours of 7 p.m. Dec. 24, 2020 and …
Drought and Heat Harm Brazil’s Harvest
There is a saying among those who have been in the industry for a long time: “There is no citrus harvest like the other.” Growers are facing production challenges in the current harvest season in Brazil. Hot, Dry Conditions The first signs of a decrease in the season’s fruit crop were given by last year’s (August to September 2019) bloom. …
Commissioner Fried Grants Santa Claus & Reindeer Animal Movement Permit
(FDACS) — Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (FDACS) are issuing a Certificate of Animal Movement to Mr. and Mrs. Claus of the North Pole. The certificate will allow their reindeer – Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph – to enter and exit all homes, domiciles, encampments, and premises in the state of …
Dr. Carrie Castille Named as New NIFA Director
(USDA) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that President Trump has named Dr. Carrie Castille as the new, six year term director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Dr. Castille will start her new role on Monday, January 4, 2021. “Dr. Castille is a trusted leader in economic development and public policy and has more than 20 …
Florida May Buy More Alico Land
The state of Florida has entered into an option agreement to purchase approximately 5,804 acres of land from Alico, Inc.’s Alico Ranch for approximately $14.6 million under the Florida Forever program. “The 5,804-acre parcel is considered a primary and secondary zone for the federally endangered Florida panther and can contribute to increased protection of Florida’s biodiversity at the species, natural …
Secretary Perdue Announces Groundbreaking Proposal
Transfer Agricultural Animal Biotechnology Regulatory Framework to USDA (USDA) — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced a significant step in modernizing regulations of agricultural animals modified or produced by genetic engineering. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will be moving forward with an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to solicit public input and feedback on a contemplated regulatory framework that …