It is set to be a busy legislative session for agricultural interests in Florida. One of the bills making its way through the process is SB 1002, the Citrus Recovery Act. Sen. Danny Burgess (R-District 20) introduced the bill to amend the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC). The FCC is the governing body of the Florida Department of Citrus. The Citrus Recovery Act …
Wireworms: A Destructive, Slimy Critter with a Very Bad Reputation
A slimy critter with a very bad reputation in the garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Wireworms, are destructive pests for farmers and gardeners, especially those growing corn. Wireworms are the larvae of the click beetle. Wireworms are found everywhere throughout North America; they’re most common in fields and grass pastures. They may be tiny, but they cause …
Florida Lawmakers Talk Broadband and Immigration
Lawmakers Look to Boost Broadband in Rural Areas (NSF/TALLAHASSEE/January 24, 2022) — Florida lawmakers are looking to use at least $400 million in federal stimulus money to to help broadband providers expand services to mostly rural, underserved areas. But don’t expect to see the money reduce rates for customers. The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee on Monday unanimously supported measures …
Florida Commissioner Nikki Fried on Additional TS Elsa Disaster Declarations by the USDA
(Tallahassee, FL/January 24, 2022) — Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried welcomed the news from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that it has designated Dixie and Gilchrist counties as primary natural disaster areas eligible for Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans to help producers impacted by Tropical Storm Elsa in July 2021 recover. “While we were fortunate that the 2021 hurricane season was relatively quiet for Florida, all three storms that made landfall in the …
ARC-PLC Signup Deadline is March 15
USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) encourages producers to contact their local USDA Service Center to make or change elections and to enroll for 2022 Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs. Tyron Spearman reports the enrollment period runs through March 15, 2022. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up Funding YearJune 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board …
Big Numbers in USDA’s Cattle Feedlot Report
USDA’s latest report on cattle feedlot activity shows the number of cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the U.S. for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head was at 12.0 million head on January 1, 2022, 1 percent above January 1, 2021. Gary C4rawford reports that overall, there are some big numbers in this report. The new …
USDA-NASS Conducting Third Phase of ARMS
The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has started the third and final phase of the 2021 Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS). They are collecting information about farm economics and production practices from more than 30,000 producers nationwide, including nearly 4,100 producers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Anthony Prillaman, Director of the NASS Southern Regional Field Office, explained to Southeast AgNet’s …
Modest Changes in U.S. Meat Production Forecast
USDA made some small changes in their January World Agricultural Supply and Demand Report for U.S. meat production. But Stephanie Ho reports the forecast does continue to show strong prices for meat products. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up Funding YearJune 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Awarded Researcher Discusses New World Screwworm OverviewJune 19, 2026Verdant Robotics Offers …
Vilsack Already Thinking about Next Farm Bill
Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack spoke before the House Agriculture Committee last week and brought up the next farm bill. The Hagstrom Report says he wants the committee to use the next bill to help him move rural America from an “extractive economy” to a “circular economy.” He says a circular economy is one where the wealth stays as the opportunity …
China Didn’t Meet Phase One Commitment
China wound up $16 billion short of achieving its obligations under the Phase One Trade Deal with the U.S. A DTN report says the Biden administration is looking for ways to keep China buying agricultural products. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack told the House Ag Committee that the administration is “putting them on notice that we want them to live up …