Florida Trade Leaders Not Ready to Scrap NAFTA

FROM THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA By JIM TURNER MIRAMAR BEACH, November 30, 2016………. Some people involved with Florida’s international trade efforts hope President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign threat to ditch the North American Free Trade Agreement is mostly bluster. Trump repeatedly decried the 22-year-old agreement on the campaign trail as the “worst trade deal in history” and said he would …

FSA County Committee Elections Deadline Extended

USDA’s Farm Service Agency has announced a one week extension in this year’s County Committee election period. Rod Bain has more information. Download Audio Sponsored ContentStrong Relationship Exists Between the Florida Cattle Enhancement Board and UF-IFASApril 17, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding For Quicker Response to Research QuestionsApril 10, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Opportunities That Spark Research ProjectsApril …

Trump EPA Administrator Pick on the Horizon

President-elect Donald Trump could soon pick his choice to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. Politico reports the shortlist includes Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt and Kathleen Hartnett White, director of the Armstrong Center for Energy and the Environment at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Both candidates oppose the EPA’s Waters of the U.S. rule, also Sponsored ContentStrong Relationship Exists Between …

Vilsack Leaving Office in Better Shape

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will see his time end in that position come January, but he recently looked back on his eight years in the office. A conversation with President Barack Obama made him think about whether or not he was leaving the office in better condition than when he took the job eight years ago. Vilsack says after …

Southeast Leaders on Short List for Trump Administration Positions

When it comes to appointments concerning agriculture, President Elect Donald Trump has begun the process to fill a few positions, including his pick for the next Secretary of Agriculture. And it’s been reported that a few leaders from here in the Southeast are on that list. Tyron Spearman has the details. Download Audio Sponsored ContentStrong Relationship Exists Between the Florida …

Obama Administration Giving up on Lame-Duck TPP Vote

As expected, the outgoing Obama administration is throwing in the towel regarding the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. DTN reports the White House will not seek a vote on the agreement during the lame duck session of Congress. Republican and Democratic leaders in Congress told the White House they would not advance the trade deal in the Sponsored ContentStrong Relationship Exists …

Report Warns of Water Woes Unless Changes are Made in Florida

FROM THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA By LLOYD DUNKELBERGER THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, November 15, 2016………. An additional 15 million Florida residents by 2070 could increase the demand for water by more than 50 percent, with a third of the state being paved over and a noticeable decline in agricultural land, according to a new report. However, with modest water-conservation efforts …

Growing Olives in Florida

Could olives be the next big thing for citrus producers? The Hardee County Industrial Development Authority (HCIDA) has started a new venture to facilitate diversity in agriculture production in light of citrus greening. Bill Lambert, director of economic development in Hardee County, says they have a 264-acre tract of land, with a majority of acreage set aside for industrial development. …

USDA Data Shows Number of Midsize Farms Declining

New data from the Department of Agriculture shows the number of midsized farms is declining. The USDA Economic Research Service found midsized farms declined by five percent between 1992 and 2012, to about 125,000. Midsize operations are defined as those with gross cash farm income between $350,000 and $1 million. USDA attributed the decline partly due to Sponsored ContentStrong Relationship …

Farm Sector Financial Stress Still Climbing

Financial stress in the farm sector is continuing to make a slow and steady climb. The stress continued to rise in the third quarter as income in the farm sector stayed low. The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City’s Ag Credit Survey says producers are expending more working capital to meet financial obligations because of continued weakness in both the …