Consumers, not only here in the U.S. but also across Canada, Australia and the EU, have received unsolicited seed packets from China. While U.S. officials continue their investigation, Osama El-Lissy with the plant protection program of USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), says that as of Wednesday evening, there was no evidence of the seed packets being anything …
Maximizing Benefits of Cover Crops for Soil Health
Investing in soil health is an adaptive strategy to improve the sustainability and productivity of soils. Cover cropping is a management practice in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) toolbox used to contribute to soil health on working lands. The NRCS Plant Materials Program, through its network of Plant Materials Centers (PMCs), recently completed a …
Beef Slaughter Rates Approaching Normal
Beef processing plants are approaching normal slaughter rates. Gary Crawford has the story. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Funding Crucial For Forage DevelopmentMay 22, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding to Enhance Brahman GeneticsMay 15, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Production ResearchMay 8, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Opportunities to Develop Preliminary Data For Future Grant ProjectsMay 1, 2026
EPA Supports States in Addressing PFAS Across the Southeast
ATLANTA (July 29, 2020) — On Tuesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the progress it has made in aggressively addressing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at the national level as it implements the PFAS Action Plan — the most comprehensive cross-agency plan ever to address an emerging chemical of concern. Just as important as this progress at the federal …
Task Force Introduces New Beef Industry Long Range Plan
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) summer business meeting continues today in Colorado. On Tuesday, the Beef Industry Long Range Plan task force officially introduced its new five-year plan for 2021-2025. The task force’s mission is to ensure the long-term prosperity of the U.S. beef industry by sustainably producing the most trusted, highest quality and consistently satisfying protein for consumers …
UPDATE: FDACS Asking Floridians to Report Suspicious Seed Packets from China
Tallahassee, Fla. – The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) continues to warn Floridians about unsolicited packages of seeds received through the mail. The seed packets, which may arrive unexpectedly in packages bearing Chinese characters, may bear the name China Post, and may be labeled as jewelry, have been reported in multiple states including Virginia, Kansas, Washington, Oklahoma, …
Florida Warns of ‘Doom’ in Apalachicola Water Battle
(NSF) – TALLAHASSEE — Arguing that a ruling for Georgia would “spell doom,” Florida lawyers are trying again to sway the U.S. Supreme Court in a long-running water battle between the two states. Florida filed a 30-page brief Monday as it asks the Supreme Court for an order requiring more water to flow into the Apalachicola River and Apalachicola Bay …
Peanut Crop Update
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released its weekly look at the peanut crop. According to Tyron Spearman, the crop is off to a good start. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Funding Crucial For Forage DevelopmentMay 22, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding to Enhance Brahman GeneticsMay 15, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Production ResearchMay 8, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement …
NCBA Addresses Checkoff Referendum Petition
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Summer Business Meeting is taking place this week in Colorado. NCBA President Marty Smith, a Florida cattle producer, released the following statement about the Beef Checkoff referendum petition launched in July. “In the 1980s, NCBA was instrumental in the initial passage of the Beef Promotion and Research Act and the resulting referendum that established …
July 31 Deadline for Use of Three Dicamba Products
Cotton and soybean farmers have just a few days left to use three important dicamba products: Engenia, Xtendimax and Fexapan. Growers and commercial applicators may use existing stocks that were in their possession on June 3, 2020 – the effective date of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit’s decision to vacate dicamba registrations – until July 31. …