Lawmakers are returning to Washington this week with a renewed industry push to approve the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Following the International Trade Commission Report, few steps remain to reach implementation. Vice President Mike Pence touted the deal during a stop in Michigan last week, and a road tour from Farmers for Free Trade crossed the country building support for passage …
Florida Legislative Session Scheduled to End Friday
Friday, May 3rd, is the scheduled end of the 60-day Florida legislative session. Lawmakers are slated to finish the session this week after what some say will be a frenzy of activity. According to the News Service of Florida, that means finishing negotiations by Tuesday on the $90-some billion budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. Because of a …
Deadline Extended for Producers to Certify 2018 Crop Production for MFP Payments
USDA extended the deadline to May 17 from May 1 for agricultural producers to certify 2018 crop production for payments through the Market Facilitation Program (MFP), which helps producers who have been significantly affected by foreign tariffs, resulting in the loss of traditional exports. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) extended the deadline because heavy rainfall and snowfall have delayed harvests …
Funding for Backtag RFID Project Proposals Available
Groups developing radio frequency ID backtags for livestock as part of an overall animal disease traceability framework now can submit funding applications to USDA for those projects. Rod Bain has more details. Sarah Tomlinson of USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service discusses some of the technologies developed or in development regarding radio frequency ID tags designed in part for …
Alabama Extension Hosting Alfalfa in the South
The annual Alfalfa in the South Workshop will be held May 7 at the Cattlemen’s Park in Troy, Alabama. The one-day event, hosted by Alabama Extension, starts at 8:30 a.m. and runs until 3 p.m. It will include up-to-date research with alfalfa in the Southeast. Following lunch, a farm tour will feature a newly established stand and allow management discussions. Dr. Kim Mullenix, an Alabama …
Final Week of Florida Legislative Session
This is the final week for the 2019 Florida legislative session. The budget is one of the major issues lawmakers will be trying to finalize. Florida Cattlemen’s Association Director of Governmental Affairs Sam Ard says it’s been a tough year for agriculture in the budget. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up Funding YearJune 30, …
Three More Georgia Water Management Workshops
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Georgia wants to remind producers about the three remaining statewide Water Management Workshops. The University of Georgia (UGA) and Fort Valley State University (FVSU) extension programs have partnered with NRCS to host these workshops. While they are geared towards smaller acreage and new/beginning farmers, they are open to all who wish to attend …
Sterilize Your Soil to Control Bugs and Disease
Cathy Isom has some excellent tips about what you can do with soil to beat back garden bugs and disease. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Learning how to sterilize soil may be the thing you need to make your garden thrive this year. Soil sterilization helps you kill off the pests and fungi that can wreak …
Political Wrangling Over Conservation Program Could Exacerbate Florida Algae Issues
by Gary Cooper In weekend budget talks, lawmakers slash funding for a key land and water conservation program that is vital to restoring Florida’s waterways. Florida’s Rural and Family Lands Protection Program (RFLPP) is a budget casualty. This program has a 20-year track record of success in preserving green space in perpetuity, while keeping farmland on the tax rolls. Program …
Weekly Livestock Market Report Week Ending 04-26-19
Here are the weekly livestock market reports for Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, for the week ended April 26, 2019, compiled by the Livestock Market News Service for all three states. AL Livestock Market Report: At Alabama Livestock Auctions for the Week ended April 26, 2019, receipts at 21 markets totaled an estimated 10,000 head compared to 11,660 last week and …