As released on May 18, the Trump administration is moving forward with its intent to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). According to the amended Trade Act of 1974, any time a newly proposed trade agreement comes about, all interested persons have an opportunity to present their views on it. Now is the time to submit comments regarding …
Education Funding Struggles in Florida Session
The Florida Legislature is meeting for a special session June 7–10 to resolve funding that was not agreed upon during the regular 2017 session. The funding issues include dollars toward the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) as well as the Florida 4-H program, which Governor Rick Scott vetoed during the regular session. The Florida 4-H …
Preparing for Predicted Active Hurricane Season
By Jaci Schreckengost Forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are predicting a 45 percent chance of having a more active than normal hurricane season for 2017, which means more people, land and animals will be affected. NOAA forecasters also predict a 70 percent chance of 11 to 17 storms that will be named during the 2017 season, …
Florida Farmers Turn Out for Putnam in Large Numbers
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam made his bid for the governor’s office official last week, following up the announcement from his hometown of Bartow with a whirlwind bus tour of the state from one end to the other. I caught up with Putnam at the end of his final tour stop at a farm in north-central Florida for a sit …
AgNet Hosts ‘This Week in Agribusiness’ — An Epilogue
By Gary Cooper AgNet Media Founder and President I recently connected with Max Armstrong, host of the nationally syndicated “This Week in Agribusiness” television program, for a fast-paced rural area and farm tour in Central Florida. It turned out to be a great opportunity for all involved, especially for Florida, which deserves more and better national media attention as an …
AgNet Hosts ‘This Week in Agribusiness’ — The Antiques
By Gary Cooper AgNet Media Founder and President Editor’s note: Read the prologue to this article. Connecting with Max Armstrong, host of the nationally syndicated “This Week in Agribusiness” television program, and his cameraman Ryan Ruh for a whirlwind ag tour in Central Florida turned out to be a great opportunity to see a couple things that I seldom slow …
‘This Week in Agribusiness’ Host Visits Central Florida
Max Armstrong, host and anchor of nationally syndicated ‘This Week in Agribusiness’ television program, begins a quick two-day visit to Central Florida at Paquette’s Farmall Tractor Museum near Leesburg. AgNet Media Founder and President Gary Cooper is helping show Max around. Armstrong is presently president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB), and Cooper currently serves on the board …
GFVGA Chasing Labor Issues in D.C.
AgNet Media’s Founder and President, Gary Cooper, recently caught up with the Executive Director of the Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association, Charles Hall, in Washington D.C. Hall says he is primarily focusing on labor and the H2-A program during his time in D.C. He also briefly discusses NAFTA negotiation possibilities and damage to Georgia blueberries from this season’s freeze. …
U.S. Agriculture Uncertain about Future of NAFTA
In 1994, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) went into effect under the Clinton administration. An idea that came about in the 1980s under President Reagan that allowed free trade between the United States, Canada and Mexico came with two main goals: to expand North American trade and to make these countries more competitive in the global marketplace. The …
Contact Your Representative to Fight for Conservation Easements
Statement from the Florida Conservation Group regarding the budget cut proposal for the 2017-2018 fiscal year. Florida’s agricultural landowners are dismayed at the lack of support by the legislature for Florida’s land conservation programs. The House has not included funding for the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program (RFLPP) or funding for Florida Forever land protection projects in their proposed …