GAINESVILLE, Fla. (UF/IFAS) — A new study from University of Florida (UF) researchers examines the relationship between wet and dry season length and the potential for lightning-ignited fires. The study, led by faculty from the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences School of Forest Resources and Conservation (SFRC), highlights trends in dry season length in the southeastern region of …
Beneath the Earth, the ‘Black Box’ of Soil Holds a Key to Crop Growth
IMMOKALEE, Fla. (UF/IFAS) — Like much of what lies just beneath the earth’s surface, soil microbes present a mystery. University of Florida scientist Sarah Strauss seeks to help untangle the web of intrigue surrounding soil microbes to improve agricultural production in Florida and globally. “There are microbial activities going on that we don’t exactly understand. It’s known as the ‘black …
NRCS Notes SoilWeb 2.0 App Update is Available
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) wants landowners to know the iOS and Android SoilWeb app, version 2.0 has been released. The app now has a cleaner and more modern interface with GPS-location-based links to access detailed digital soil survey data (SSURGO) published by the NRCS for most of the U.S. The newly updated SoilWeb smartphone application is available as …
Signup Continues for National Conservation Innovation Grants
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service reminds landowners their signup period for National Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) continues. USDA is investing up to $12.5 million to help support the adoption of innovative conservation approaches on agricultural lands. CIG are competitive grants driving public and private sector innovation in resource conservation, with projects inspiring creative problem-solving that boosts production on farms, ranches, and private …
Honeybee Losses Jumped Sharply Higher Last Winter
Bee colony death numbers are continuing to climb. The Bee Informed Partnership released its latest survey last week, saying U.S. beekeepers lost 40 percent of their colonies last winter. That’s the largest number of overwintering hive losses since the survey began more than a decade ago. The total annual loss in 2018 was estimated to be slightly above average. An …
USDA Offers Producers Options to Re-enroll or Extend Expiring CRP Contracts
WASHINGTON (USDA/FSA) – Farmers and ranchers with expiring Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts may now re-enroll in certain CRP continuous signup practices or, if eligible, select a one-year contract extension. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) also is accepting offers from those who want to enroll for the first time in one of the country’s largest conservation programs. FSA’s 52nd signup for …
Disrupting One Gene Could Be First Step Toward Treating Honey Bee Parasite Nosema Ceranae
BELTSVILLE, MARYLAND (USDA/ARS) —Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have taken the first step towards a weapon against the major honey bee parasite Nosema ceranae. There is currently no treatment for this parasite. The scientists found that feeding honey bees a small amount of an interfering RNA compound (RNAi) could disrupt the reproduction of N. cerana by as much as 90 percent in the …
The Buzz: Pollinators are Essential
AUBURN UNIVERSITY, Ala. (ACES)— In the spirit of National Pollinator Week, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System salutes pollinators everywhere who are irreplaceable pieces of the puzzle in gardens, cropland and flowerbeds. Bees are more than honey-makers and hive builders. Bees are essential to the most important part of the food chain—pollination. Importance of Pollinators Bees are essential for the pollination of one-third …
Georgia NRCS Promoting the ABC’s of Pollinators
Many in agriculture have been celebrating National Pollinator Week this week, as the event was designated by the U.S. Senate twelve years ago. Numerous groups like The Honey Bee Health Coalition, Farmers for Monarchs, and the Environmental Defense Fund have been working to expand pollinator awareness through education. But USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Georgia is also celebrating …
Court Rules Against Environmentalist in ‘Malice’ Case
TALLAHASSEE (NSF) — In a case watched by environmental and First Amendment groups, a state appeals court Wednesday upheld a $4.4 million verdict against a prominent South Florida environmentalist who fought a project that included limerock mining. A three-judge panel of the 4th District Court of Appeal rejected arguments by Maggy Hurchalla, sister of the late U.S. Attorney General Janet …