Bill Targeting Undocumented Workers Clears Senate

(NSF) — A politically charged bill that would give Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration the power to randomly audit private businesses to ensure they are not hiring undocumented workers is heading to the Florida House, where it will face a hesitant speaker. The Senate voted 22-18 on Monday to approve the proposal (SB 664), which was negotiated with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ …

Celebrating National Peanut Month

March is National Peanut Month, and Tyron Spearman looks at how peanuts have found their way into many of the food products we enjoy today. For more fun facts from the National Peanut Board about peanuts & peanut butter, click here. 5 Fun Facts about Peanuts and Peanut Butter How many peanuts are in a jar of peanut butter? Which two …

Perdue Defends Brazilian Beef Import Decision

Late last month, we told you the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had reopened the door for imports of raw beef from Brazil into the U.S. The USDA said the world’s largest beef exporter had taken the right steps to improve its food-safety inspection system, bringing it up to U.S. standards. And in a story from Stephanie Ho, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue lays …

CRP Grasslands Signup Begins on March 16

(NAFB) — Farmers and ranchers can start applying to enroll grasslands in the Conservation Reserve Program Grasslands signup on March 16. “This CRP Grasslands signup allows farmers and ranchers to protect grasslands, rangelands, and pastures, while they maintain the land as working grazing lands,” says Farm Service Agency Administrator Richard Fordyce. “The program emphasizes support for grazing operations and plant …

U.S. Poultry Entering China without Retaliatory Tariffs

(NAFB) — Beijing recently made U.S. poultry shipments eligible for exemptions from extra tariffs and poultry shipments to China are on the rise. A Reuters article points out that the additional tariff relief may give China a greater ability to follow through on promises to buy significantly more American agricultural goods as part of the Phase One trade deal. U.S. …

Common Mistakes for Growing Tomatoes in Containers

Continuing her series, Cathy Isom reviews some common mistakes for growing tomatoes in containers. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.  Growing tomatoes in containers can be incredibly rewarding or flat-out disastrous.  However, there are some common mistakes that, if they can be avoided, will vastly increase your chances of successfully growing tomatoes in containers. Such as the size …

Florida Forever to Get $100 Million

(NSF) — Florida Forever, the state’s signature land-preservation program, will get a sizable, one-time boost in funding as lawmakers inched closer Sunday to patching together an estimated $92 billion budget for next fiscal year. House and Senate negotiators also agreed to keep alive an economic development fund backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis but cut spending on the program. The $100 …

Oliva: Senate E-Verify Plan Un-American

(NSF) — House Speaker José Oliva on Saturday blasted a plan that would give Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration the power to randomly audit private businesses to ensure they are not hiring undocumented workers. DeSantis and the Senate have settled on a proposal that would give his administration the authority to audit Florida employers to ensure they are verifying workers’ legal …