It was announced this week that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is collaborating with the Georgia Department of Agriculture in raising awareness and further examine the significant increase in seed coat fragments in cotton produced in the state. In a phone interview with Southeast Agnet’s Randall Weiseman, Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black said in …
COVID-19 Taking Heavy Toll on Farmers’ Mental Health
(AFBF) — A strong majority of farmers/farmworkers say the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their mental health, and more than half say they are personally experiencing more mental health challenges than they were a year ago, according to a new American Farm Bureau poll. The survey of rural adults and farmers/farmworkers explores how the pandemic has affected their mental health personally and …
Dormant Sprays for Asian Citrus Psyllid Management
Several studies have documented the positive effects of controlling the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP, Figure 1) for citrus tree health and sustainability in Florida. The mature blocks established before and after the discovery of huanglongbing (HLB) in 2005 continue to benefit from psyllid control. One psyllid is enough to infect a tree with HLB for life, and repeated infestations negatively …
Judge Says Trial Needed in Conservation Dispute
(NSF) — A Leon County circuit judge has said a trial is needed in part of a long-running lawsuit about how the Legislature carried out a 2014 constitutional amendment aimed at land and water conservation. Environmental groups in October asked Circuit Judge Charles Dodson to grant summary judgment finding that some state budget items from 2015 and 2016 violated the …
SFWMD Accepting Applications for Cost-Share Water Projects
The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) announced it is accepting applications for cost-share projects to develop alternative water supply projects and water conservation projects. This is part of the state of Florida’s continuing efforts to identify and implement cost-effective strategies to protect its water resources while meeting Florida’s water needs. Partnering with local governments and other entities for implementation …
Executive Farm Management Program
(APPA) — Times are challenging on the farm these days. Farmers run and finance large and diverse businesses, manage capital, handle labor issues and navigate regulations. An operator is constantly busy working in their business. The Executive Farm Management Program (EFMP) is designed to help farmers work on their business. This year the National Peanut Board is proud to partner …
Latest Ag Economy Barometer Released
(NAFB) — Farmer sentiment improved modestly in December, according to the latest Ag Economy Barometer. The CME Group/Purdue University index, released Tuesday, rose to a reading of 174, up seven points from November. December’s sentiment improvement still left the barometer nine points lower than in October. The Index of Current Conditions climbed 15 points to 202, while the Index of …
Alabama Irrigation Questionnaires are Due January 31
The Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries (ADAI) continues to encourage producers who performed agriculture irrigation upgrades in the 2020 calendar year to complete the required irrigation questionnaire. While ADAI is responsible for collecting completed irrigation questionnaires from producers seeking a tax credit in 2020, the Alabama Department of Revenue (ADOR) will issue any irrigation tax credits to eligible applicants. …
Important Reasons for Removing Tree Stumps
Some important reasons for removing tree stumps. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. There are many reasons to remove tree stumps from your property. But probably the most obvious one is for aesthetics. Not only do tree stumps take up a lot of valuable garden space, but they’re serious eyesores. Tree stumps left to rot in the ground can …
Statement Regarding Seed Coat Fragments in Cotton Produced in the Southeast
(USDA/AMS) — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to collaborate with the Georgia Department of Agriculture to raise awareness and further examine the significant increase in seed coat fragments in cotton produced in the southeast region. Thus far in the 2020 cotton season, the AMS Macon, GA Classing …