Some herbs and veggies you can grow, even when it snows. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Sure, many of us have grown cold tolerant veggies in our gardens, but snow tolerant veggies are on another level. For anyone living in climates with sub-freezing temperatures for several months out of the year, it means a shorter growing season. But …
Cabinet Eyes ‘Devil’s Garden’ Land Deal
(NSF) — Nearly 6,500 acres of land, with the vast majority in the Devil’s Garden area south of Lake Okeechobee, are in line to be the state’s next Florida Forever conservation deals. Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet — Attorney General Ashley Moody, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis — will be asked Tuesday to …
AFBF Welcomes Nomination of Tom Vilsack for Agriculture Secretary
(AFBF) — President-elect Joe Biden is expected to nominate Tom Vilsack to serve as Secretary of Agriculture. The following statement may be attributed to American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall: “The American Farm Bureau Federation welcomes the news that Tom Vilsack will be nominated to be Secretary of Agriculture. His leadership as the 30th Secretary of Agriculture and as Governor …
Vilsack Selected by President Elect Biden as Secretary of Agriculture?
President Elect Joe Biden is expected to selected Tom Vilsack to be the Secretary of Agriculture in the Biden administration. Tyron Spearman has more details. Vilsack served as Secretary of Agriculture under the Obama administration for eight years. While serving in the Obama administration, Vilsack focused on leveraging the departments $150 billion dollar mission to support the nations farmers beyond …
Increase to Certain Incentive Payments for Continuous CRP Announced
(USDA/FSA) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is increasing incentive payments for practices installed on land enrolled in the Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is upping the Practice Incentive Payment for installing practices, from 5 percent to 20 percent. Additionally, producers will receive a 10 percent incentive payment for water quality practices on land …
During the Pandemic, PPQ Innovates to Deliver Its Mission
Plant Protection Remains Strong (USDA/ARS) — Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, USDA’s Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program has been open for business. Our scientists, technical experts, and administrative professionals have continued to effectively fulfill our mission: safeguarding American agriculture and natural resources and facilitating safe trade. To deliver that mission while staying as healthy and safe as possible, employees …
Blueberry App Developed to Help Growers Battle Diseases and Pests
(UF/IFAS) — A new University of Florida app will help the state’s blueberry growers identify and manage disease and insect injuries commonly encountered in Florida before their crop is ruined. Collectively, blueberries are a $60 million-per-year crop in Florida. Patricio Munoz, the UF/IFAS blueberry breeder and an assistant professor of horticultural sciences, came up with the vision for, and supervised …
Treatment Introduced by Researchers to Prevent Parasites in Sheep
(USDA/ARS) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Research Service (ARS) announced a groundbreaking treatment that prevents anemia, weight loss, poor wool and meat production, and even death in sheep. ARS researchers partnered with Virginia Tech and the University of Massachusetts’ Medical School to solve H. contortus parasite infection, which also happens to be the number one health problem in the U.S. sheep industry. …
Managing COVID-19 Risks in the Citrus Industry
The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly changed so much. SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) is primarily transmitted person-to-person, with no evidence it is transmitted by food or food packaging, including citrus and citrus products. Managing COVID-19 among workers is extremely important. COVID-19 impacts on the health of employees can have catastrophic effects, especially when operations are shuttered by health departments. …
Georgia Farm Bureau Members Elect New President Tom McCall
MACON, Ga. – According to Georgia Farm Bureau, Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) members elected Tom McCall for a two-year term as president of Georgia’s largest general farm organization on Tuesday, Dec. 8. McCall, of Elbert County, grows wheat, oats, triticale, grain corn, sweet corn and hay. The McCall family also raises beef cattle, hogs and sheep. McCall replaces Gerald Long, who …