By Gary Cooper In the opening address at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) convention this week, Kevin Folta, chair of the University of Florida’s Horticultural Sciences Department, filled the room. His audience consisted of broadcasters who air farm news daily on hundreds of radio and television stations, as well as on online media properties throughout the country. Well …
Deliveries of Peanut Butter to Hurricane Ravaged Areas
More deliveries of peanut butter are being made to storm-affected areas. Tyron Spearman has the story. Peanut Proud has stepped up during the entire year for disaster relief. Take a trip through Peanut Proud 2017 in pictures, and their story of helping others through tough times. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up Funding YearJune …
Trump’s Aggressive Trade Strategy Both Defended and Criticized in Farm Circles
President Trump’s aggressive trade strategy of threatening to pull out of existing agreements without big concessions to the U.S. is being both defended and criticized in farm circles. President Trump is again taking a hard line with U.S. trading partners in Asia, after first dumping TPP and now threatening to ditch NAFTA. It’s a strategy that has many, especially in …
Why Forage for Dandelion
If you are one to forage for plants, Cathy Isom fills us in about why dandelions are considered well-meaning plants. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Over the years, many gardeners have disliked coming across many bunches of dandelions. Because one flower head is known to provide up to 200 plants – with literally no work at …
Less Than Two Percent of Food Violates Pesticide Residue Standards
Every year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tests food for pesticide residues that violate the limits allowed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The FDA enforces those standards in both domestically-produced food as well as imported food. As late as the fiscal year 2015, the FDA found that most foods were well within the allowable standards, with domestic food …
WHO Takes a Strong Stand Against Antibiotics in Animals
The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a strong statement this week against the use of all antibiotics in healthy food-producing animals. The WHO says overuse and misuse of antibiotics in both animals and humans is contributing to the buildup of antibiotic resistance. The organization notes that some bacteria that cause serious diseases in humans have built resistance to most types …
Ag Groups Ask Trump to Implement Farmer Fair Practice Rules
The National Farmers Union joined a coalition of 82 farmer, rural, and consumer groups, in sending a letter to the president, asking him to implement the Farmer Fair Practice Rules by executive order. The groups say those rules would provide basic protections for farmers and ranchers against unfair and abusive practices as a result of consolidation in agriculture marketplaces. The …
NAFTA Negotiators Extend Length of Next Round
A Bloomberg report says negotiators discussing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) will begin next week’s round in Mexico City two days early. The goal is to give themselves more time to discuss a large number of issues surrounding the two-decade-old pact. Negotiators last met in Washington D.C., for the previous round of talks. Two officials close to the …
Ag Struggling to Make Voice Heard in NAFTA Talks
The American agricultural lobby thought that President Trump’s trade politics would spare farmers and others in agriculture. Politico’s Morning Ag Report says it was the rural and red-state turnout that put Trump over the top in the presidential election. Trump has threatened to issue a formal intent to withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and agriculture can’t …
Producers More Optimistic in October Survey
The latest Purdue/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer showed farmer optimism improving slightly in October, coming in at an index of 135. That’s actually the third-highest level since the survey began two years ago. The modest improvement during October came about because of increasing optimism for what lies ahead. The Index of Future Expectations increased from 130 to 137 in October. …