Cathy Isom fills you in a bit about some of the easiest houseplants to have in your home or office. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. You can have gorgeous houseplants that don’t require a lot of your time or energy to take care of them. And, these easy indoor plants can thrive with minimal care or maintenance. …
Senators Roll Out Hurricane Relief Plan
Northwest Florida lawmakers Thursday promoted a $315 million proposal that would make loans available to local governments still reeling from Hurricane Michael. The proposal also would set up a task force to determine additional state assistance for the storm-battered region. The wide-ranging Senate bill (SB 1610) comes after numerous other proposals have been filed in the House and Senate to …
Formal Lab-Grown Fake Meat Agreement is “What Consumers Deserve”
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Jennifer Houston released the following statement in response to the formal agreement announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on lab-grown fake meat oversight: “The formal agreement announced today (03-07-19) solidifies USDA’s lead oversight role in the production and labeling of lab-grown fake meat products. This is what NCBA …
FFB ‘Taste of Florida Agriculture’ Event Engages Lawmakers
Farm Bureau (FFB) members again hosted state lawmakers for food and festivities during the opening week of the legislative session, during their annual Farm Bureau Days event Wednesday at the state Capitol. Farm Bureau organizes this function and involves many of the state’s other commodity groups and related businesses, as a way to help educate lawmakers about the depth and …
Annual Survey Finds 80% of Producers Believe Beef Checkoff Drives Beef Demand
Eighty percent of beef producers nationwide say the Beef Checkoff Program helps drive demand for beef. That is one major finding from a recent Producer Attitude Survey commissioned by the Checkoff – and conducted and reviewed by a third-party, independent research firm – to gauge beef producers’ awareness, overall sentiment and concerns about the program. Completed in January, the survey …
USDA and FDA Announce a Formal Agreement to Regulate Cell-Cultured Food Products from Cell Lines of Livestock and Poultry
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a formal agreement to jointly oversee the production of human food products derived from the cells of livestock and poultry. FSIS and FDA released a formal agreement to address the regulatory oversight …
Farmers Helped Protect Crop Insurance During 2018 Farm Bill Debate
Every five years, Congress sets the course for our nation’s agricultural policy with the passage of a Farm Bill. When farm policy critics predictably suggested that Congress use the 2018 Farm Bill to undermine the critical safety net that crop insurance provides, those who depend on crop insurance were quick to tell Capitol Hill to “do no harm” to this important program. …
Southern Cover Crops Council Conference
Farmers across the Southeast are encouraged to take part in the 2nd Southern Cover Crop Conference, July 16-17 in Auburn, Alabama. The event, hosted by the Southern Cover Crop Council, will be a good educational and networking experience for farmers and service providers. There will be many farmer speakers, equipment demos, and even lunch is provided. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service …
Georgia Cotton Referendum Deadline Nearing
Georgia cotton producers are being urged to vote in a referendum on continuation of the cotton program in the state. Executive Director of the Georgia Cotton Commission, Richey Seaton, wants growers to know the referendum runs until March 15th. Cotton producers are encouraged to cast their votes by March 15th on ballots they should have received in the mail from the …
USDA Provides Funding to Florida to Support Projects that Protect Agriculture and Natural Resources
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is allocating $7.2 million to Florida as part of its effort to strengthen the nation’s infrastructure for pest detection and surveillance, identification, and threat mitigation, and to safeguard the U.S. nursery production system. Overall, USDA is providing $66 million in funding this year to support 407 projects in 49 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, and …