Great news for those adding cherries to the Fourth of July menu. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The summertime treat of fresh cherries is abundant for this Independence Day. The USDA forecast for sweet cherries this season is expected to be about 371 million tons, which is a 60 percent increase from last year. The USDA National …
Representing Agriculture in a Growing State
By Will Jordan Legislation and agriculture are not always friends. Policy can be developed with good intentions but miss the sound advice of agriculture when dealing with environmental, animal, or sustainability topics. Southeast AgNet recently visited with Florida Representative Lauren Melo during the Florida Cattlemen’s Association Convention in Marco Island about what it means to support agriculture as a legislator …
AgNet Weekly: Dr. Margaret Worthington on New EPA Regulations for Gene Editing
Fruit and vegetable plant breeders who use gene editing are now facing more regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA recently increased oversight of some gene-edited crops and added to the workload and waiting time for those breeders. Dr. Margaret Worthington is an Associate Professor of Horticulture at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and she believes …
Weekly Livestock Market Report Week Ending 06-30-2023
**This report will not be issued next week due to markets being closed in observance of the July 4th holiday.** Here are the weekly livestock market reports for Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, for the week ended June 30, 2023, compiled by the Livestock Market News Service for all three states. AL Livestock Market Report: At Alabama Livestock Auctions, for the …
Cotton Planted Acreage 19 Percent Below 2022
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) estimated11.1 million acres of cotton planted in the United States for 2023, down 19% from 2022, according to the Acreage report (.pdf) released today. Soybean area planted is estimated at 83.5 million acres, down 5% from last year and corn is estimated at 94.1 million acres, up 6% from …
U.S. Peanut Acreage Up Nine Percent from Last Year
USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released their 2023 planted acreage reports, and the numbers indicate planted area for peanuts is up nine percent from last year. Tyron Spearman has a look at the report. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Encourages Research into Producers QuestionsJune 5, 2026Cattle Producers Proud of Efforts Funded Through the Florida Cattle Enhancement BoardMay 29, 2026Florida Cattle …
USDA Efforts Lift Ban on U.S. Poultry Exports to Colombia
Quick action by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has resolved an issue that temporarily stopped U.S. poultry product exports to Colombia. Colombia’s Ministry of Agriculture instructed all of their ports to deny import permits to any poultry products beginning June 1 on concerns of …
Swine Vets Lobby for Foreign Animal Disease Funding in 2023 Farm Bill
Last week, swine veterinarians from around the country flew into Washington, D.C. to lobby Congress to secure funding for foreign animal diseases (FAD) prevention in the 2023 Farm Bill. According to the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), the subject matter experts highlighted was the importance of the “three-legged stool”, which includes the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank (NAVVCB), National Animal Health Laboratory Network …
Most Grilling Costs Stay Higher This Summer
We check on the costs of grilling this summer. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Cheeseburgers will cost more this year for an Independence Day cookout. USDA says that in May 2023, the ingredients for a home-prepared ¼-pound cheeseburger totaled $2.17 per burger, an increase of 10 cents from 2022. Prices for cheeseburger ingredients grew more slowly over …
New EPA Regulations on Gene Editing in Specialty Crops
by Sabrina Halvorson Fruit and vegetable plant breeders who use gene editing are now facing more regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA recently increased oversight of some gene-edited crops and added to the workload and waiting time for those in the produce industry. Dr. Margaret Worthington is an Associate Professor of Horticulture at the University of Arkansas …