Florida Receives Funds for Agriculture & Natural Resources Protection

Dan Conservation, Environment, Florida, Nursery Crops, Pest/Pest Control, USDA

(FDACS) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has allocated more than $5.5 million to Florida as part of its effort to strengthen the nation’s infrastructure for pest detection and surveillance, identification, and threat mitigation, and to safeguard the U.S. nursery production system. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has received a significant portion of these funds to support numerous projects. …

CRP General Signup Underway

Dan Conservation, Environment, USDA-FSA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced earlier this week that signup for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is underway. Administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), CRP provides annual rental payments for land devoted to conservation purposes. FSA Administrator Richard Fordyce told Southeast AgNet this CRP signup gives producers and landowners an opportunity to enroll for the first time …

Senate Environmental Panel to Look at ‘Resiliency’

Dan Conservation, Environment, Florida, Industry News Release, Irrigation, Water

(NSF) — With calls growing for lawmakers to pay more attention to climate change, the state Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection and the chief resiliency officer position are slated to be reviewed Monday by the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee. The resiliency officer position is among the duties of Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Noah Valenstein, who has …

USDA Provides Funds to Florida to Support Projects that Protect Agriculture and Natural Resources

Dan Environment, Industry News Release, USDA-APHIS

(USDA/APHIS) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is allocating $3.7 million to Florida as part of its effort to strengthen the nation’s infrastructure for pest detection and surveillance, identification, and threat mitigation, and to safeguard the U.S. nursery production system. Overall, USDA is providing more than $70 million in funding this year to support 383 projects in 49 states, …

Conservation Reserve Program General Signup Begins Today

Dan Conservation, Environment, Industry News Release, USDA-NRCS

(USDA/FSA) — Agricultural producers and private landowners interested in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) can sign up for the popular program beginning today, Jan. 4, 2021, until Feb. 12, 2021. The competitive program, administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), provides annual rental payments for land devoted to conservation purposes. “This signup for the Conservation Reserve Program gives producers and landowners an …

Florida May Buy More Alico Land

Dan Citrus, Conservation, Environment

The state of Florida has entered into an option agreement to purchase approximately 5,804 acres of land from Alico, Inc.’s Alico Ranch for approximately $14.6 million under the Florida Forever program. “The 5,804-acre parcel is considered a primary and secondary zone for the federally endangered Florida panther and can contribute to increased protection of Florida’s biodiversity at the species, natural …

DeSantis Calls Reservoir ‘A Top Environmental Priority’

Dan Environment, Florida, Industry News Release, Lake Okeechobee

(NSF) — Gov. Ron DeSantis backed a controversial reservoir being built in the Everglades while announcing the state will use a pool of environmental money to help Miami-Dade County protect Biscayne Bay from continued degradation. DeSantis said his office will continue to support the $1.6 billion Everglades Agricultural Area reservoir, which was approved by the Legislature in 2017 but has …

Ag Groups Applaud Regan Nomination to Head EPA

Dan Environment, Industry News Release, Pork

(NPPC) — President-Elect Joe Biden on Thursday nominated Michael Regan as the next administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Regan most recently led the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The following statement may be attributed to National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) President Howard “AV” Roth, a hog farmer from Wauzeka, Wisconsin. “NPPC congratulates Michael Regan on his nomination. …