SLE Leaders Announce Cancellation of 2020 Rodeo

Clint Thompson Alabama, Livestock

MONTGOMERY, Ala.— Leaders of the Southeastern Livestock Exposition (SLE) announced the cancellation of the 63rd annual SLE Rodeo and Livestock Week today. The event was to be held March 19-21, 2020 at Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery but was forced to postpone due to the closure of city facilities, including the coliseum, amid growing coronavirus concerns. In monitoring conditions related to …

National Cotton Council Responds to Overcompensation Claim

Clint Thompson Alabama, Cotton, Florida, Georgia

The National Cotton Council (NCC) responded this week to a study out of Kansas State University that claimed U.S. cotton producers were overcompensated for trade damages incurred during the trade dispute between the U.S. and China. NCC Vice President of Economics and Policy Analysis Jody Campiche discusses the Council’s analysis and response to the study. For the NCC’s full analysis, …

Moving the Livestock Marketing Connection Out of the Barn

Clint Thompson Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Livestock

Local livestock sales barns remain an integral part of the auction process, but some buyers and sellers are using other methods to market their livestock. And as Rod Bain reports, in some cases, even make the sale. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Offers Unique Opportunity For Applied ResearchOctober 24, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Plays Major Role in Applied Beef Cattle …

Bill Introduced to Increase Transparency in Cattle Pricing

Clint Thompson Alabama, Beef, Cattle, Florida, Georgia, Industry

A group of Senators this week introduced a bipartisan bill to increase transparency in cattle pricing. Led by Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, the legislation seeks to foster efficient markets while increasing competition and transparency among meatpackers who purchase livestock directly from independent producers. The bill will require that a minimum of 50% of a meat packer’s weekly volume of …

USDA SECURE Rule Paves Way for Agricultural Innovation

Clint Thompson General

(Washington, D.C., May 14, 2020) U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced a final rule updating and modernizing the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) biotechnology regulations under the Plant Protection Act. The Sustainable, Ecological, Consistent, Uniform, Responsible, Efficient (SECURE) rule will bring USDA’s plant biotechnology regulations into the 21st century by removing duplicative and antiquated processes in order to …

Southern Peanut Growers Conference Coming in July

Clint Thompson Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Peanuts

The 22nd annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference will be held July 16-18, 2020 at the Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort in Panama City Beach, Florida. According to Tyron Spearman, the three-day event will provide farmers with information about peanut production, legislative issues and more. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Offers Unique Opportunity For Applied ResearchOctober 24, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board …

Program Pays Ranchers in Southwest Florida to Help Panthers

Clint Thompson Florida

Ranchers in Southwest Florida may be able to get paid for helping the Florida panthers. The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will provide technical and financial assistance for conservation practices that improve its habitat through the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). The signup deadline is June 15. This is a Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) project. To be eligible, a …

Deadline Nearing to Sign Up For 2020 CSP in Alabama

Clint Thompson Alabama

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Alabama wants to remind landowners the deadline to sign up for the 2020 Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is May 29. Farmers, ranchers and private landowners are all encouraged to apply now for financial and technical assistance. Alabama State Conservationist Ben Malone said, “NRCS works hard to help eligible farmers, ranchers and private landowners …

Losses in Agriculture Growing by the Day

Clint Thompson Alabama, Florida, Georgia

Agriculture’s rescue needs in any new COVID-19 Congressional aid package are huge, well more than help already provided. Ag losses already in the billions are growing by the day, from meat plant shutdowns and retooling costs, to livestock losses, to crop and dairy losses in mountains of unsold and destroyed product. American Farm Bureau’s Andrew Walmsley says even the good …

Alfalfa in the South Survey

Clint Thompson Alabama, Beef, Cattle, Florida, Georgia

A recent collaboration between Auburn University, University of Florida and University of Georgia hoped to expand the use of alfalfa into forage-livestock production systems in the Southeast. Earlier this year, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) released the “Alfalfa in the South Online Series”, which contains information on topics related to establishment and management through environmental impacts and economics of …