The National Farmers Union says twenty beginning farmers and ranchers from across the United States will participate in the 2018-2019 Beginning Farmers Institute Program. The institute is designed to help the next generation of farmers to succeed by providing mentorship, technical training, as well as leadership development for participants. NFU President Roger Johnson says his group is happy to welcome …
UF/IFAS Hopes to Grow Vanilla, Meet Consumer Demand
For dessert, how about a scoop of ice cream flavored with vanilla from Florida’s farmers? Because so many consumers enjoy vanilla, University of Florida scientists hope to help Florida farmers grow the bean. Consumers have an appetite for vanilla. The U.S. leads the world in imported vanilla beans, said Alan Chambers, an assistant professor of horticultural sciences at the UF …
FFA Members Compete During State Convention
A sea of national blue and corn gold swept the Capital City as over 1,300 students and advisers gathered for the 90th Alabama FFA State Convention June 6-8. Students competed in state career development events (CDEs) during the annual meeting in Montgomery, sharpening their professional development skills and industry knowledge. The Alabama Farmers Federation’s Jennifer Christenberry said she enjoys watching students …
Georgia Governor Signs Agribusiness Legislation into Law
With a long list of legislation impacting agribusiness, Georgia Governor Deal never hesitated in signing every one of them. We are grateful for the legislators and Governor Deal for their support of our state’s ag and forestry interests. Here’s the quick summary of new ag laws starting July 1, 2018: GATE: Much needed changes to the GATE program are included in HB …
Introducing the Agriculture Communicators of Florida
The Agriculture Institute of Florida, founded more than 40 years ago to raise the profile of Florida agriculture among elected officials and consumers, has changed its name to Agriculture Communicators of Florida. The organization’s mission remains “to educate, encourage and empower individuals and organizations to communicate more effectively on behalf of Florida agriculture.” Members are a diverse mix of communications …
UGA Extension to Host Insect Scouting Schools
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension will host two insect scouting schools to introduce new scouts to insect monitoring and serve as a review for experienced scouts and farmers. The first scouting school will be held Monday, June 11, at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center in Tifton, with the other school taking place Tuesday, June 19, at the Southeast Georgia Research and Education Center …
2018 Georgia Grown Farm to School Program Selections
Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary W. Black is pleased to announce the latest schools selected to participate in Georgia Grown’s farm to school programs, including the Feed My School for a Week program, the Georgia Grown Test Kitchen program and schools receiving System of Distinction awards. Commissioner Black believes that the schools selected are the driving force of Georgia’s farm to …
UF/IFAS Student from Union County Awarded First Roland T. Stern Scholarship Award
Chad Nolan Ward, Jr. hails from a long line of forestry workers. The Union County resident and University of Florida student says the profession is in his blood. “My father is a third-generation logger and owns the family business, Chad Ward Enterprises,” Ward said. “I knew as a small child that I wanted to continue the family legacy.” Now his …
UF/UGA Corn Silage and Forage Field Day
The 2018 UF/UGA Corn Silage and Forage Field Day will be held in Citra, Florida this Thursday, May 24. The program starts at 8 AM and concludes with field demonstrations after lunch. The event includes a test plot tour along with educational stops that cover topics like pest control, grazing management and forage quality. A discussion concerning alfalfa and grass …
Culver’s Raises Over $100,000 for Agriculture Education
A $1 scoop of frozen custard at Culver’s recently went a long way in supporting local agricultural education at various Culver’s restaurants. Culver’s recent “Scoops of Thanks Day” at 650 restaurants around the country involved customers making a $1 donation for a single scoop of frozen custard. The project raised more than $111,000 dollars for local ag education during the …