Past Florida FFA President Participates in Farm Bill Listening Session

During the first farm bill listening session hosted by the House Agriculture Committee this past Saturday in Gainesville, Florida, comments were given by many folks involved in agriculture, including a former Florida State FFA President. Bruce Parrish, from Trenton, Florida, was the 2015-2016 State FFA President.   Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up Funding …

Mushrooms You Can Forage

Foraging for food has been around since the beginning of time. Cathy Isom tells us about some mushrooms that can be harvested from the wild. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.   Growing up you may recall being told, don’t eat the mushrooms from the ground! They’re poison. They’ll kill you. Or, something like that. But you’ll be happy …

Syngenta Announces Goals Following Merger with ChemChina

Syngenta is striving to strengthen its leadership position in crop protection and to become an ambitious number three in the agriculture seeds sector. In a news release this week, the company announced its priorities now that the takeover deal by ChemChina is complete. The company aims to profitably grow market share through organic growth and collaborations and is considering targeted …

Perdue, Branstad, to Celebrate U.S. Beef in China

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad will mark the return of U.S. beef to China this week. Friday, the duo will celebrate U.S. beef exports returning to China by traveling to the nation and ceremonially cut a prime rib that originated from Nebraska. Perdue and Branstad will attend events and meet with officials in China …

Farm Groups Give NAFTA Testimony to USTR

Farm groups including the National Corn Growers Association, the American Farm Bureau, and the U.S. Grains Council gave testimony Tuesday during hearings on the North American Free Trade Agreement. The farm groups told the U.S. Trade Representative’s office that concerns over the renegotiation effort have disrupted relationships with U.S. agriculture customers and that a new NAFTA should protect the market …

USDA Launches Reorganization Commission

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is kicking off efforts to reorganize the department. Politico reports that the department has launched a commission to reorganize, modernize and trim the department. The commission will form a plan to reform USDA, which will be based on Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue’s reorganization plan announced in May. The commission is part of a Trump Administration …

EPA Sends WOTUS Repeal to Federal Register

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt told lawmakers Tuesday that the EPA has sent its repeal of the Waters of the U.S. rule to the federal register, beginning the process of ending the regulation. During a Senate budget hearing Tuesday, Pruitt told lawmakers the measure was being sent to the federal register the same day. The formal withdrawal of the …

Water Management District Offers Online Updates on Reservoir

from News Service of Florida Progress on a controversial reservoir intended to help clean South Florida waterways can now be followed via an interactive map provided by the South Florida Water Management District. The website outlines where the reservoir — about 18,000-acres — will be located within the Everglades Agricultural Area south of Lake Okeechobee. So far, water management officials …

Southern Region Noncitrus Fruit and Nut

Key findings for the Southern Region: Avocados: Florida’s utilized production is down 13 percent from 2015 and the associated value of production is down 7 percent. The Laurel Wilt disease continues to have a negative impact on Florida avocado groves. Blueberries: The value of utilized production for the United States is down 13 percent for 2016. Georgia’s utilized production is …