Losses resulting from Hurricane Zeta MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate announces that U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 13 Alabama counties as primary disaster areas, due to damage and losses caused by Hurricane Zeta that occurred from October 28 through October 29, 2020. USDA reviewed the Loss Assessment Reports and determined that there were …
CEO Announced for New Peanut Shelling Plant
A new CEO has been announced to run operations at a peanut shelling plant being built in Alabama. Tyron Spearman has the story. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsMarch 1, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Offers Targeted Research for Florida Cattle IndustryFebruary 20, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Allows Viable Research in the Cattle IndustryFebruary 6, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Track Record Well …
December 2020 Dairy Market Report
The December 2020 Dairy Market Report is now available and it indicates that 2020 continues to bring turbulent headwinds to dairy demand, which the industry has survived with heightened government support and robust export markets. The new Dairy Management, Inc. report indicates total domestic commercial use of dairy products posted a small gain during the August–October period, despite the pandemic’s …
SLE Rodeo Coming in March
Due to COVID-19, the Southeastern Livestock Exposition (SLE) Rodeo announced the postponement of its 63rd annual event last March. They are pleased to announce the event will be held in 2021. Alabama Cattlemen’s Association (ACA) Executive Vice President Erin Beasley says tickets will go on sale next week. Tickets go on sale next week for the SLE rodeo, to be …
Taiwan Approves U.S. Pork Imports with Ractopamine
Taiwan’s parliament approved a measure that will allow U.S. pork imports containing ractopamine, a leanness-enhancing additive. Reuters says the approval came despite objections from KMT, the main opposition party, which says it creates a health risk for the Taiwanese people. The country’s president decided in August that Taiwan would allow imports of U.S. pork with the additive, which is banned …
Fried on Florida Hemp Production
Hemp is blazing among Florida’s agriculture inventory in the seven months since it was first allowed to be legally grown in the Sunshine State, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried told business leaders earlier this month. Fried says more than 22,000 acres are currently licensed for hemp, nearly equal to the acreage in Florida of tomatoes, watermelon and snap peas, and …
NPPC: Anti-Meat Group Shows ‘True Colors’
Last week, the head of an anti-meat extremist group posed as the CEO of a major pork producer during a national television interview. The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) says the conversation contained “outrageous and false claims” about the U.S. pork industry and the challenges it faced during COVID-19. NPPC President Howard “A.V.” Roth (Rowth) had a sharp response to …
No Changes to EU Tariff on U.S. Peanuts
On Nov. 10, tariffs imposed by the European Union (EU) went into effect on U.S. peanuts and other products. Tyron Spearman reports at this point, there have been no changes made to the 25% tariff. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsMarch 1, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Offers Targeted Research for Florida Cattle IndustryFebruary 20, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Allows Viable Research …
Potassium Deficiency in Cotton a Concern for Producers
Potassium deficiency in cotton across the Southeast is a major problem for producers, even more so this year, says Glen Harris, University of Georgia soil fertility and Extension specialist. “It’s been a continuing problem. In my opinion, I think we do a decent job with nitrogen. We don’t seem to have a lot of phosphorus problems. Potassium is probably our …
Light Aphid Pressure Contributes to Low CLRDV in Alabama
Low aphid pressure meant minimal incidences of cotton leafroll dwarf virus (CLRDV) this year in Alabama, according to Amanda Strayer-Scherer, Extension plant pathologist and Assistant Professor at Auburn University. “This year, mainly, I think the biggest thing was at least for us in terms of Alabama, we had very light aphid pressure. That’s what vectors the disease and what it …