Submitted by Gene McAvoy, Regional Vegetable Extension Agent IV Emeritus with UF/IFAS “Up to the end of Feb our growers were having a banner year and it looked like this season would be one of those homeruns that come around every 5-6 years.” Here is a report that I prepared on the state of S Florida ag and shared with …
Extension Specialist: Soybean Rust Overwinters in two Alabama Counties
By Clint Thompson Soybean farmers need to be wary of soybean rust disease, which overwintered in Baldwin County, Alabama and Mobile County, Alabama, according to Edward Sikora, professor and Extension plant pathologist in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at Auburn University. He stresses that the pathogen’s presence in Alabama doesn’t mean there will be an outbreak of the …
UF/IFAS Offers More Resources for Growers
(UF/IFAS) — UF/IFAS Extension is collaborating with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) to compile a list of farms, distributors, and farmers markets selling Florida-grown food directly to final consumers. The intention is to build a directory of sellers who are moving Florida-grown foods to consumers during the market disruptions caused by COVID-19. The list may include …
NCBA Requests President Trump Expand USDA Market Investigation
(NCBA) — NCBA President Marty Smith sent a letter to President Donald Trump, requesting the government to act quickly to investigate the striking disparity between boxed beef prices and cattle prices in the futures and cash markets during the current COVID-19 crisis and following the packing plant fire in Holcomb, Kan., last August. In his letter, Smith requests President Trump to …
AFBF on CARES Act SBA Loans
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) says producers are ineligible for some CARES Act Small Business Association loans, but eligible for others. AFBF Congressional Relations Director, RJ Karney, says they believe farmers can’t participate in the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, but do qualify for paycheck assistance. “As of now, AFBF’s interpretation of the rule is, farmers are eligible to …
Deadline Nearing for Input on RCPP Rule
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has been seeking public comments on its interim rule for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), but the deadline to make comments is April 13. RCPP helps partners develop and implement unique conservation solutions that engage farmers, ranchers and forest landowners. The 2018 Farm Bill made it a stand-alone program with its own dedicated …
NCBA Working to Make Things Better for Cattle Producers
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) staff has been busy dealing with various issues in response to the COVID-19 crisis the past few weeks. NCBA President, Marty Smith from Florida, told Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman they are all working to make things better for cattle producers. To learn more about any of those efforts, go to the NCBA website. Sponsored …
Plant a Fruit Tree-Reduce Stress and Store Trips
Times, they are changing. Cathy Isom has what you can plant to reduce stress and the number of trips to the store. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. While so much of the world is on pause right now, some small businesses are still up and running as best as they can. Among them are local plant nurseries. …
COVID 19 Response: Your Grocery and Food-Safety Questions Answered
(UF/IFAS) — It’s a battle of facts vs. myths in the rush to get information to the public about how consumers can safely shop for groceries and handle food during the coronavirus pandemic. To get the correct data, we asked three experts with the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) to answer common questions: Keith Schneider, a UF/IFAS …
Crop and Livestock Prices Plunge Under Weight of COVID-19 Uncertainty
(AFBF) — Updated analysis by the American Farm Bureau Federation shows crop and livestock prices falling to levels that threaten the livelihoods of many U.S. farmers and ranchers. Shuttered schools, universities, restaurants, bars and cafeterias are no longer buying milk, meat, fruits, vegetables and other food, causing a downward spiral in crop and livestock prices. Nearby futures prices for nearly …