2016 Sales of U.S. Certified Organic Agricultural Production Up

California continues to lead in certified farms, acres, sales Sales of organic agricultural production continued to increase in 2016, when U.S. farms produced and sold $7.6 billion in certified organic commodities, according to data released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Results of the 2016 Certified Organic Survey show that 2016 sales were …

House Committees Scheduled for Three Days

House committees and subcommittees could hold more than 30 meetings during the second week of October, including a meeting of the newly formed Select Committee on Hurricane Response and Preparedness, according to a schedule posted online Tuesday. The House meetings will be held Oct. 10 to Oct. 12, as lawmakers begin getting ready for the 2018 legislative session, which starts …

NRCS Reminder of Programs Helping with Irma Recovery Efforts

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) wants to remind farmers and ranchers affected by Hurricane Irma, that they have programs which can that provide assistance. This includes the Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up Funding YearJune 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Awarded Researcher …

Scientist Recognized for Research in Mosquito-Borne Disease Control

University of Florida entomology professor Jeffrey Bloomquist is known to have a restless curiosity about everything, ranging from insecticide toxicology to mosquito control and resistance. That boundless need to know has paid off for Bloomquist, a faculty member with the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. He recently was honored with the American Chemical Society International Award for Research …

Effects of Irma on Georgia Cotton Crop

Over the past few days, it has become obvious that Hurricane Irma did cause quite a bit of damage to Georgia cotton fields. Preliminary observations note that every cotton field in the state has been negatively impacted in one way or another. Georgia Cotton Commission’s Richey Seaton has the details. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board …

NCC Update on Continuing Resolution

Reece Langley, Vice President of Washington Operations for the National Cotton Council, has an update concerning the continuing resolution that was put together to get us through the first part of December. Langley said the House and Senate will need to come to some agreement on all 12 of the funding bills, including agriculture, by December 8th when the current …

Pecan Pies at Risk Following Hurricane Irma

Hurricane Irma’s destruction is putting the iconic Thanksgiving pecan pie at risk. The storm ripped through pecan orchards in Georgia, the number one grower of pecans in the nation, just weeks before harvest. The University of Georgia estimated that 30 percent of production may have been lost after high winds sent pods flying off branches and blew down trees. Bloomberg …

Beef Cattle Contribute to Sustainable Food System

A recent study by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization says cattle raised for beef production play a key role in maintaining a sustainable food system. Meat industry publication Meatingplace reports that the research essentially counters claims that beef production consumes too much human-edible feed, finding that cattle are net contributors to the global protein supply, and concludes that …