The agricultural production system was not prepared for the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Crops were left in the field or plowed under because of decreased demand. Loads of milk were even dumped. Scott Angle, Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Florida/IFAS hopes farmers and agricultural leaders can learn from last season’s initial outbreak. …
Budget from Georgia Governor Includes Dollars for Agriculture
The 2021 Georgia State Legislative Session has a full week under its belt, as lawmakers met this week to kick off things in Atlanta. Georgia Agribusiness Council (GAC) President Will Bentley told Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman, early signs indicate there is money in the Governor’s budget for agriculture. To keep track of activities during the 2021 legislative session, go to …
Enjoying Your Garden during the Winter Months
How to enjoy your garden during the winter months. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you can’t get outside and enjoy the garden. By now you may be feeling a little cabin fever. During the winter when many flowers are no longer blooming, and branches of trees are bare, there are …
Farm Bureau Establishes 2021 Policies
(AFBF) — Farmer and rancher delegates to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 102nd Annual Convention adopted policies to guide the organization’s work in 2021. Key topics ranged from farm diversity to farm labor and dairy policy to livestock marketing. For the first time in AFBF history, delegates met and voted virtually due to COVID-19. “Our Farm Bureau delegates showed that …
Environmental Groups Challenge Permitting Change
(NSF) — A coalition of environmental groups Thursday filed a federal lawsuit challenging a potentially far-reaching move by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to shift permitting authority to Florida for projects that affect wetlands. The coalition, represented by attorneys from the Earthjustice legal group, contends that the EPA and other federal agencies did not comply with a series of laws …
2020 Crop Production Numbers
Tyron Spearman has a look at more numbers from this week’s crop production forecasts from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Opportunities to Develop Preliminary Data For Future Grant ProjectsMay 1, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Critical Funding To Enhance Brahman GeneticsApril 24, 2026Strong Relationship Exists Between the Florida Cattle Enhancement Board and UF-IFASApril 17, 2026Florida …
Pushing for Improved Dairy-Pricing
Many dairy producers have suffered losses due to the extreme price disruptions that have been caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Thus, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) is calling for changes to the so-called Class I fluid milk price mover to help producers recover from those losses. They note dairy farmers may lose roughly $800 million in revenues under the current Class …
Stabenow Urges USDA to Prioritize Protections for Food Workers
Senator Debbie Stabenow, the incoming Senate Agriculture Committee chair, urged the Department of Agriculture this week to implement the bipartisan worker protection provisions in the COVID-19 assistance package. The Michigan Democrat says, “In order to repair our food supply and feed families in need, USDA must prioritize safety in addition to food purchases.” In the recently passed COVID-19 assistance package, …
Meat Worker COVID-19 Cases Five Times Lower
A new analysis of independent data for 2020 shows that new COVID-19 infection rates amongst meat and poultry workers were five times lower in December than in May. Meanwhile, rates in the general population rocketed up nine times in the same period. According to data from the Food and Environment Reporting Network, the meat and poultry sector were reported to …
What to Plant Together while Planning the Spring Garden
Some ideas to get a jump start on planning your Spring Garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. If you’re thinking about what plants will go together for your spring garden, think about color, season of bloom, and shape, but also care needs when you’re planting. Get an early start on spring with a generous helping of bulbs …