FDOC Update: OJ Sales, Supply and Demand

Shannon Shepp, executive director of the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC), reports that total orange juice (OJ) sales are performing at 2016 levels. “In the four week-period ending Dec. 26, 2020, average year-over-year sales of total OJ increased 7.68 percent with nearly 37.39 million equivalent gallons sold, according to the latest Nielsen retail sales update,” Shepp says. “Volume sales of NFC (not …

Deadline for Seafood Trade Relief Program Coming Up

(USDA/FSA) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds fisherman of the Jan. 15 deadline to apply for the Seafood Trade Relief Program (STRP), which provides support for fishermen impacted by retaliatory tariffs from foreign governments. For more information on the program, including guidance on how to apply, visit farmers.gov/seafood or call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to …

Various Crops Qualify for Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) this week started signup for the Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) Program. Eligible crops include those for which federal crop insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage is available, except for grazed crops and value loss crops. Tyron Spearman has more details. Quality Loss Adjustment Program Did you suffer crop quality losses due to natural …

Third Packer for Cold-Hardy Citrus

A third packinghouse started packing fresh South Georgia and North Florida citrus in 2020. The newest packer, The Satsuma Company, is in Tifton, Georgia. The others, Corbett Brothers in Lake Park, Georgia, and Florida Georgia Citrus in Monticello, Florida, have been packing citrus since 2016. “I have visited all three facilities in South Georgia and North Florida,” said Lindy Savelle, …

Farm & Biofuel Coalition Rejects EPA’s Excuses

(RFA) — A coalition of the nation’s largest biofuels and agricultural trade groups filed its reply in support of its motion in the U.S. Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia. The motion, originally filed on November 23, 2020, asks the court to enforce its 2017 decision requiring the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address its improper waiver of 500 …

CRP General Signup Underway

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced earlier this week that signup for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is underway. Administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), CRP provides annual rental payments for land devoted to conservation purposes. FSA Administrator Richard Fordyce told Southeast AgNet this CRP signup gives producers and landowners an opportunity to enroll for the first time …

Farmland Prices May Rise in 2021

(NAFB) — After years of stability, farmland prices may be set to rise in 2021. Farm Journal’s Ag Web Dot Com says factors are coming together that may be about to send the price of land higher. Some of the key factors include government support for farmers, stronger commodity prices, low interest rates, limited farmland for sale, and strong interest …

AI: The Future of Farming is Happening Today

What was once the future of farming is happening today at the University of Florida/IFAS. Scott Angle, Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources, explains how UF/IFAS is using artificial intelligence (AI) to help producers be more efficient in their farming operations. “It’s a fascinating issue right now. The University of Florida wants to move into the top 5 for …

Seed Coat Fragments Another Problem for Alabama Cotton Producers

As if cotton prices were not low enough, some producers across the Southeast are being penalized for seed coat fragments. It’s a deduction that costs farmers 4.45 cents per pound, said Steve Brown, Alabama Extension cotton specialist. “It’s a double whammy because you got punished on yields, and now you’re getting punished on fiber quality, too,” Brown said. Brown said …