Winner of 2024 Florida Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award Announced

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

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has announced the 2024 winner of the Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award. Costa Farms of Miami, one of the largest commercial plant growers in the U.S. is this year’s winner. The award has been presented annually since 1994 and spotlights environmentally innovative growers and ranchers who share a commitment to protecting and preserving Florida’s resources while producing …

Ten Years of USDA Climate Hubs

Dan Climate Change, Environment, This Land of Ours

Ten years of USDA Climate Hubs. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. USDA Regional Climate Hubs are still operating after ten years and still helping farmers deal with climate change. USDA’s Gary Crawford reports. Listen to USDA Gary Crawford’s This Land Of Ours program here. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2025Nuseed Carinata Covers New GroundOctober 1, 2024TriEst …

DeSantis Backs Everglades Funding in Budget

Dan Conservation, Environment, Florida

(NSF/TALLAHASSEE, FL/April 22, 2024) — Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday he will approve $1.5 billion directed towards Everglades cleanup that was included in the budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1, which he has not yet received. “I am going through all the things in the budget right now. And there’s a lot of different line items. … …

Efforts Underway to Improve Soil Surveys

Dan Environment, Soil, USDA-NRCS

Efforts to improve soil surveys is currently underway through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). They plan to invest in partnerships to promote and fund research that informs and improves soil surveys. This is all part of an ongoing effort to continue to provide critical data to the country, and partners are encouraged to prepare proposals. For those interested, 2024 Cooperative Soil …

Agriculture Greenhouse Gas Emissions Lower

Dan American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), Environment, This Land of Ours

Agriculture again reduces its greenhouse gas emissions. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. New data released this month from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows agriculture decreased its greenhouse gas emissions in 2022. The EPA recently released the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2022. American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Economist Danny Munch explains the results. …

APHIS Supports Projects to Control and Prevent Chronic Wasting Disease

Dan Agri-Business, Environment, USDA-APHIS

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) this week announced the availability of more than $12 million to control and prevent Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in wild and farmed deer and elk. CWD is an infectious, degenerative disease of cervids that causes brain cells to die, ultimately leading to the death of the affected animal. The incubation period can …

Hay and Cattle in Drought

Dan Cattle, Drought, Drought, Pasture

When it comes to drought coverage for hay and cattle production areas, things are looking much better this spring than they were last fall. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey has more information. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2025Nuseed Carinata Covers New GroundOctober 1, 2024TriEst Ag Group: Partners in ProfitabilityApril 1, 2024

USDA Makes $1.5 Billion Available for Conservation and Climate-Smart Ag

Dan Climate Change, Conservation, Environment, Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), USDA-NRCS

Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an historic $1.5 billion was being made available in fiscal year 2024 to invest in partner-driven conservation and climate solutions. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting project proposals until July 2, 2024 through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). This will help farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners adopt and expand conservation strategies …

NACD Sends Letter Requesting Funding for Conservation Programs

Dan Conservation, Environment, USDA-NRCS

The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and a coalition of agriculture and conservation organizations recently sent a letter to the leaders of the U.S. House and Senate appropriations committees requesting at least $1.2 billion for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) conservation operations and full authorized funding for farm bill conservation programs in Fiscal Year 2025. More than 85 conservation and agriculture groups signed …

Southeast a Leader in Prescribed Fire

Dan Environment, Forestry

The University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Fire Network uses prescribed burns to fight fire with fire. Fire Network Director Lenya N. Quinn-Davidson says the southeast is a leader in prescribed burns. “The Southeastern US has been the place where that cultural connection to prescribe fire was never lost in the same way that it was in the Western …