Will Downward Trajectory of Agricultural Acres Stop?

Clint Thompson Alabama, Florida, Georgia

Agricultural acres have dropped dramatically over the last 100 years throughout the Southeast. According to stacker.com, Georgia and Alabama were two of the top four states to see their farm land decrease the most. Adam Rabinowitz, Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension economist, is not surprised about the significant drop in agricultural acres. He attributes the acreage drop to land …

EPA Announces 2020 Dicamba Registration Decision

Clint Thompson Alabama, Cotton, Florida, Georgia, Soybeans

Contact Information:  EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov) Brooklet, Ga. (October 27, 2020) — At the Cromley Farm, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced that the EPA is approving new five-year registrations for two dicamba products and extending the registration of an additional dicamba product. All three registrations include new control measures to ensure these products can be used effectively …

Commissioner Fried Comments on Florida Request to Assume EPA Responsibilities on Clean Water Act

Dan Florida, Industry News Release, Water

(FDACS) — On the final day of virtual public hearings on the state of Florida’s request to assume the administration of the Clean Water Act’s Section 404 program from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Commissioner Nikki Fried, an independently-elected member of the Florida Cabinet, offered the following: “Just before an election, the DeSantis administration is furthering their relentless drive to consolidate power, seizing authority from the federal government and …

Weekly Livestock Market Report Week Ending 10-23-2020

Dan Alabama, Cattle, Florida, Georgia

Here are the weekly livestock market reports for Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, for the week ended October 23, 2020, compiled by the Livestock Market News Service for all three states. AL Livestock Market Report: At Alabama Livestock Auctions, for the week ending October 23, 2020, receipts at 21 markets totaled an estimated 14,300 head compared to 14,827 last week and …

OJ Proves Beneficial for Youth

Dan Citrus, Florida, Industry News Release, Research

A new, four-year study published in Public Health Nutrition found that drinking 100 percent orange juice (OJ) is not associated with negative effects on body weight, body mass index (BMI) or BMI percentile among 9- to 16-year-olds. It also found that higher OJ consumption is associated with increased height for girls and increased trends for physical activity levels in both …

Insurance, Water Issues on the Table for Legislative Session

Dan Economy, Florida, Industry News Release, Lake Okeechobee, Water

(NSF) — Florida senators will be asked to eliminate the state’s no-fault auto insurance option and increase spending to repair the state’s natural springs, the incoming Senate president said Thursday. Senate President-designate Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, told business leaders that lawmakers meeting for the 2021 legislative session also will need to consider efforts to keep polluted Central Florida waters from flowing …

Facts of the Flow: Lake Okeechobee, 2020 Year-to-Date

Dan Florida, Industry News Release, Irrigation, Lake Okeechobee, Water

(SFWMD) — Here is the latest update on inflows into Lake Okeechobee for the calendar year to date. This data is provided by SFWMD’s DBHYDRO database. There has been no back-pumping into Lake Okeechobee from the Everglades Agricultural Area this year. Source: South Florida Water Management District Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Plays Critical Role To Extend ResearchNovember 7, 2025CIR …

Duval Soil and Water Conservation District Full Board to meet Wednesday

Clint Thompson Florida

The Duval Soil and Water Conservation District Full Board will meet on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020 at 3:30 p.m. at the Duval Agricultural Extension Office, 1010 N. McDuff Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32254. This meeting will be held via Zoom teleconference. At this time the Extension Office is open only at limited capacity. Public participation is still encouraged, but members of …

Cotton, Peanut Harvests Update

Clint Thompson Alabama, Cotton, Florida, Georgia, Peanuts

We saw good conditions for harvest last week, and across Southeast it helped in getting both the cotton and peanut crops out. USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey has the latest look at cotton harvest progress. But Rippey says the peanut harvest has been delayed by the recent tropical weather. In Alabama, 92% of the cotton bolls are open, which compares to …