Students from Celebration High School in Osceola County have placed first for the second year-in-a-row in the annual Orange, Osceola, and Seminole Regional Envirothon competition held February 8, 2018 at Harry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando. The 5-member winning team of sophomores and juniors was made up of Julian Landin, Matthew Eynan, Bradley Band, Spencer Schmidt, and Mason Theurer. Envirothon …
NCC Survey Suggests U.S. Producers to Plant 13.1 Million Acres of Cotton in 2018
U.S. cotton producers intend to plant 13.1 million cotton acres this spring, up 3.7 percent from 2017, according to the National Cotton Council 37th Annual Early Season Planting Intentions Survey. (see table below) Upland cotton intentions are 12.8 million acres, up 3.8 percent from 2017, while extra-long staple (ELS) intentions of 254,000 acres represent a 1.0 percent increase. The survey …
Celebrating National Plum Pudding Day
Cathy Isom tells us why today is a great day for celebrating a mouth watering treat that has nothing to do with its name! That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Celebrating National Plum Pudding Day Today is National Plum Pudding Day, and what better way to celebrate then by learning more about this delicious dessert. Plum Pudding, also …
Tyson: Higher Freight Costs Will Push Up Consumer Prices
Tyson said the rising cost of freight is starting to put pressure on all of its businesses. That means consumers will eventually feel that pressure in the form of higher prices for all its products. The company says the tight trucking market will add more than $200 million to its cost structure this year. Chief Executive Tom Hayes says, “Freight …
Canada Says Serious Challenges Remain in NAFTA Talks
Some serious challenges remain to be overcome before Canada will ever sign off on a renegotiated North American Free Trade Agreement(NAFTA). Canada’s Foreign Minister, Chrystia Freeland, says hardline demands for reforms from the U.S. are the biggest of those challenges. Freeland told the House of Commons foreign affairs committee that Canada will only accept a deal that’s in their nation’s …
Foreign Competitors Increasing Spending on Ag Exports
Foreign countries that compete with the U.S. for world market share are increasing their spending on promoting ag exports. Several countries, as well as the European Union, spent close to $1 billion in public funds on ag export promotion in 2016. Studies are showing those countries outspent the U.S. 4 to 1. That’s a 70 percent increase in competitive public …
What the Budget Bill Means for Farmers and Ranchers
The disaster assistance spending measure has been watched carefully by producers who were hit hard by natural disasters. Producers in California, Florida, Texas, and even Puerto Rico lost crops and livestock because of wildfires and hurricanes last year. Politico says America’s dairy and cotton producers also have been looking for subsidy increases because of a serious economic downturn. The bill …
Ag Committee Leaders Praise Bipartisan Budget Act
Senate Ag Committee Chair Pat Roberts says the Bipartisan Budget Act passed in both chambers of Congress benefits Americans in many ways. It avoids a government shutdown, raises military funding, contains disaster assistance for several states that were hit hard by natural disasters, and improves livestock assistance programs. Roberts says, “In addition to disaster assistance for states hit hard by …
Agri View: Feral Hog Problem Over?
Everett Griner talks about what is being considered as the last measure to solve the Feral Hog problem in today’s Agri View. Feral Hog Problem Over? Well, the feral hog problem is over. Wouldn’t that be a marvelous headline across the country? But it isn’t. In fact, it gets worse. It is so bad until those trying to stop it …
Weekly Livestock Market Report
Here are the weekly livestock market reports for Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, for the week ended February 09, 2018, compiled by the Livestock Market News Service for all three states. AL Livestock Market Report: AL Livestock Market Report At Alabama Livestock Auctions for the Week ended-February 09, 2018 receipts at 21 markets totaled an estimated 9,300 head compared to …