disaster areas

Alabama Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas

Dan ADAI, Agri-Business, Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI), Drought, Drought, Economy, Environment, Funding, Weather

(ADAI/MONTGOMERY, AL/April 1, 2025) — Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate announced that USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins has designated 20 Alabama counties as primary natural disaster areas due to a recent drought. Eighteen additional counties were listed as contiguous disaster counties. “The drought affected over half of the counties in Alabama,” said Commissioner Pate. “We encourage farmers to …

florida

Florida Governor and Cabinet Approve Protection of Agricultural Lands

Dan Conservation, Environment, FDACS, Florida, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS)

(FDACS/TALLAHASSEE, FL/03-05-25) – Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced that the Governor and Cabinet, sitting as the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, have approved the preservation of nearly 6,500 acres of working Florida farms and ranches through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. Rural lands protection easements prevent …

conservation

Conservation Stewardship Program Sign-up Ends Friday in Georgia

Dan Conservation, Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Environment, Georgia, USDA-NRCS

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Georgia (NRCS-GA) wants to remind agricultural producers and forest landowners in the state looking to build on previous conservation efforts to apply by Friday, March 7th for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) to be included in this funding batch.  CSP provides many benefits, including increased crop yields, decreased inputs, wildlife habitat improvements and increased resilience to adverse weather. CSP …

conservation easement

Protect Your Ag Land with a Conservation Easement in Florida

Dan Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Wetland Reserve Easements (ACEP-WRE), Agricultural Land Easements (ALE), Conservation, Environment, USDA-NRCS

Agricultural landowners in Florida that may interested in protecting the integrity of your property are urged to consider safeguarding your land with a conservation easement through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Florida (NRCS-FL). While they do accept agricultural conservation easement applications year-round Friday, March 7th is the cutoff date to get applications in for Fiscal Year 2025 funding.  The Agricultural Conservation Easement …

Washington County

Washington County, Florida Farmland Preserved through RFLPP

Dan Conservation, Environment, Florida, Rural and Family Lands Protection Program (RFLPP)

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has announced the preservation of more Florida farmland through their Rural and Family Lands Protection Program (RFLPP). Hard Labor Creek, a 2,336-acre property located in Washington County, is being preserved through a rural lands protection easement for $4,995,000. Hard Labor Creek is 2,336 acres of rolling pinelands and forested wetlands in Washington County that includes …

agricultural producers

Farmers Still Caught in Trump’s Funding Freeze

Dan Agri-Business, Conservation, Environment, Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Funding, USDA-NRCS

The Trump administration is withholding funds from farmers participating in conservation programs, despite the White House’s assurance last week that funding to individuals would not be frozen. Contractors supporting these programs have also been affected. The Iowa Soybean Association, in a letter to lawmakers, warned that $11 million owed to farmers is at risk. Many farmers are only now learning …

American Agriculture

American Agriculture History Minute: Conservation to Control Flood Waters Begins

Dan American Agriculture History Minute, Conservation, Environment, This Land of Ours

I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. In 1885, Harriet Strong made a study about the shortage of water in Nevada, including control of floodwaters and water storage. She advocated conservation as a flood remedy, proposing a succession of dams to conserve the water for irrigation purposes and the generation of electricity. In 1887, she was granted a …

peanut industry

USDA Freezes Conservation, Farmer Payments

Dan Agri-Business, Conservation, Environment, Funding, USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has frozen some funding for farmers as it goes through a sweeping review, despite assurances from the Trump administration that programs helping farmers wouldn’t be affected during the government overhaul. Reuters says the impact has been wide-ranging, from cash assistance for ranchers to fixing cattle watering systems to help for corn growers wanting to …

Fertilizer Tariff Concerns Loom as Spring Planting Approaches

Dan Economy, Exports/Imports, Fertilizer, Fertilizer

Fertilizer markets are facing uncertainty due to ongoing tariff discussions. Farmers and industry experts are watching closely as potential price increases could impact critical inputs for the upcoming planting season. Josh Linville, a fertilizer market analyst, highlighted that supply chains are already tight, and the timing of the tariff decision complicates the situation. “Unfortunately, the timing of this could not …

American Agriculture

American Agriculture History Minute: Early Colonists Learned the Hard Way About Soil Stewardship

Dan American Agriculture History Minute, Environment, Soil, This Land of Ours

I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Early colonists had to learn the hard way about soil stewardship. The practices associated with keeping livestock also contributed to deterioration of the land. Colonists would cut down trees, allow their cattle and livestock to graze freely in the forest areas, but never plant more trees. The animals trampled and tore …