Soil health, also referred to as soil quality, is defined as the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans. And USDA’s National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) continues to promote the benefits and importance of soil health. Plus, this year the Soil Health Partnership (SHP) is celebrating its fifth anniversary and the foundational collaborations that developed …
How Bees Defend Themselves from Predators
In this part of her series on raising bees, Cathy Isom lets you know about how bees defend themselves. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Honeybees tend to take excellent care of themselves, however, unlike most animals we care for, we have very little control over what happens when a busy bee leaves its hive in pursuit of …
Glades Sugarcane Farmers Continue Water Quality Success
Recently, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) announced that once again, sugarcane and vegetable farmers in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) surpassed annual phosphorus reduction targets by reducing phosphorus 44 percent – bringing the average annual reduction to 56 percent since the program began in 1996. “Good news on water gets lost in the shuffle, but sugarcane farmers continue …
You Can Help Bring Back the Bee Population
Without our pollinators, there would be no food. Cathy Isom continues her series on bees by telling us what we can do to help bring back the bee population. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Bees are the winged wonders that are really important to us but unfortunately are a dwindling population. Bees occur on every continent except …
Forum Addresses Climate Change and Agriculture
By Ernie Neff Florida ag producers, scientists, Congresswoman Kathy Castor and others discussed agriculture in the face of climate change in a forum held Monday in Gainesville. The forum was Agriculture and Forestry in a Changing Climate: What the Future Holds for Florida. Jack Payne, senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources at the University of Florida Institute of …
Best Flowers to Grow for a Bee Garden
In her previous program Cathy Isom let you know about raising your own Queen Bee. She continues her series today filling you in about the best and most beautiful flowers for a bee garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. A garden full of bright, seasonal flowers can nourish your local bees through every season. Consider planting these …
Farmers Prevented From Planting Crops on More Than 19 Million Acres
Agricultural producers reported they were not able to plant crops on more than 19.4 million acres in 2019, according to a new report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This marks the most prevented plant acres reported since USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) began releasing the report in 2007 and 17.49 million acres more than reported at this time …
Agriculture and Forestry in a Changing Climate: What the Future Holds for Florida
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (UF/IFAS) — A forum that will highlight climate challenges to Florida’s farms, ranches, and forests and steps that the state’s producers are taking in response is set for Monday, Aug. 12, at the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center in Gainesville. Agriculture and Forestry in a Changing Climate: What the Future Holds for Florida is also expected to …
State Revives Red Tide Task Force
(NSF) — A task force focused on red tide outbreaks along the Gulf Coast has been reorganized within the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the revised panel, tasked with studying the causes of red tide, during a press conference Friday at the SandBar Tiki & Grille in Englewood. The panel, comprised of researchers and scientists, …
Lawsuit Filed Over Lake Okeechobee Releases and U.S. Army Corps-Created Water Shortage
Clewiston, Fla. (U.S. Sugar) – U.S. Sugar announced that it shared similar concerns with environmental groups who filed an earlier lawsuit over the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ complete disregard of its own policies and procedures governing Lake Okeechobee. The Company filed a lawsuit this morning in federal district court. “Since November of 2018, the Corps has released unprecedented volumes …