FEMA Has Approved Florida’s Request for Individual Assistance in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton and Bay counties Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved Individual Assistance for Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton and Bay counties following the impact of Hurricane Sally. With this announcement, families impacted by Hurricane Sally now …
Commissioner Nikki Fried Announces New Farmworker COVID-19 Testing Efforts
Tallahassee, Fla. – Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried announced today new efforts to provide COVID-19 testing for farmworkers as the fall harvest season begins, in partnership with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), and local county governments. Beginning this week, farmworkers will have access to numerous no-cost COVID-19 testing …
Registration Continues for Hurricane Michael Timber and Irrigation Recovery Block Grant Programs in Florida
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) and the Florida Forest Service wants to remind landowners who suffered damage from Hurricane Michael in October 2018, that registration for the Florida Timber Recovery Block Grant Program and the Florida Irrigation Recovery Block Grant Program continues. While being funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the program is being …
Florida Peanut Harvest Running Behind
Various folks were on hand in Jay, Florida earlier this week when U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue stopped by to tour the agricultural areas affected by Hurricane Sally. One of those on hand was the Executive Director of the Florida Peanut Producers Association (FPPA), Ken Barton. AgWired’s Cindy Zimmerman caught up with him to talk about the Florida peanut …
USDA Releases Quarterly Grain Stocks Report
USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has released its Quarterly Grain Stocks report, which indicates old crop corn stocks on hand as of Sept. 1, 2020, totaled 2.0 billion bushels, down 10% from 2019. Old crop soybeans stored in all positions were down 42%, and all wheat stocks were down 8% from a year earlier. Total corn stocks stored on …
USDA Funds Conservation Innovation in Florida and Nationally Through On-Farm Trials of Conservation Systems
WASHINGTON, Sept. 29, 2020 – USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is awarding $25 million in grants designed to help partners implement and evaluate innovative conservation practices that have demonstrated benefits on farmland. The funding is provided through On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials (On-Farm Trials), a component of the Conservation Innovation Grants program first authorized in the 2018 Farm Bill. “On-Farm …
Commissioner Fried Announces 2021 Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Inductees
Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Foundation announced the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame inductees for 2021. The induction ceremony will be held at the Florida State Fair’s Agricultural Hall of Fame Banquet on February 16, 2021. “Florida agriculture is at the core of our state’s rich cultural history, impacting the lives of millions of Floridians each day. …
Perdue Tours South Alabama, Northwest Florida Hurricane Sally Damage
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue made various stops in South Alabama and Northwest Florida to tour agricultural areas that were damaged by Hurricane Sally. He also hosted a roundtable discussion with local farmers who were impacted. In comments to the media, Perdue said he saw crops that have been cut in half. Perdue was joined by various state legislators …
Florida Dieticians Receive Current Information About Beef
This past weekend, the Florida Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics held its first Virtual Florida Food and Nutrition Symposium, and the Florida Beef Council (FCB) was part of the 2-day event. Sarah Krieger, a registered dietician who works with the FBC, says she was able to provide current information about beef to those taking part. For more information about this …
Cotton, Peanut Harvest Update
Cooler, dryer air is moving across the Southeast, which will aid in the harvest of both cotton and peanut fields. But recent rains slowed that progress this past week, and USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey has the latest look at the nation’s cotton condition ratings. . And Rippy notes the past week was not a good one for field work for …