FL Special Session Budget Cuts Hit UF/IFAS, FDACS

Gary Cooper Citrus, Florida, General, Specialty Crops, Sugar, Vegetables

Florida Farm Bureau’s Ben Parks in Tallahassee offers more details and insight into the Special Session budget cuts and key agriculture concerns going forward, since much more budget cutting is expected in the general session yet to come. In the first report below, Farm Bureau’s Parks discusses the general situation and some of the impacts to FDACS, in the second …

How Will Watermelons Fare in a Tighter Economy?

Gary Cooper Citrus, Florida, General, Specialty Crops, Vegetables

Florida leads the U S in watermelon production, and in light of the present economic situation all around, we asked National Watermelon Association Executive Bob Morrissey how he felt watermelons would fare on the marketing side considering the consumer belt tightening going on. Hear his comments in this report. By the way, some in our citrus audience may recognize Bob, …

FL NRCS Announces Signup Cutoff Dates

Randall Weiseman Cattle, Florida, General, Livestock, USDA-NRCS

State Conservationist Carlos Suarez with USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service in Florida has announced the cutoff date for two farm bill conservation programs, as all applications for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) will be accepted until close of business on February 27, 2009.

Food Safety Scares: It Can Happen To ANY Commodity

Gary Cooper Alabama, Citrus, Florida, General, Georgia, Specialty Crops, Vegetables

Reggie Brown of the Florida Tomato Exchange (photo) was a featured speaker in a couple of the sessions at the recent Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference in Savannah, GA. After what he and his industry went through in 2008 due to innaccurate reporting of a salmonella outbreak that did not involve tomatoes at all, Brown had some pointed comments for …

FL Citrus Mutual’s Sparks on New D C Outlook

Gary Cooper Citrus, Florida

Florida Citrus Mutual CEO Mike Sparks spoke recently to AgNet’s Ernie Neff about the new political scenario in Washington D C as it relates to the Florida citrus industry. Hear Sparks’ comments in these two reports.

FL Legislature Cuts Budget

Randall Weiseman Cattle, Florida, General

Florida Cattlemen’s Association’s Director of Legislative Affairs, Sam Ard, has an update on the across the board cuts put together by the Florida legislature during their special session concerning the state budget situation and how they affect agriculture.

FL Ag Urged To Attend FL Senate Committee Workshops

Gary Cooper Citrus, Florida, General, Specialty Crops, Sugar, Vegetables

In this report, comments from Florida Senator Don Gaetz about a series of three workshops scheduled in the immediate future by the Florida Senate Committee on the Economy, which he chairs. Gaetz says agriculture is a key to Florida’s economy, and agricluture legislative representatives are urging farmers and ranchers to turn out at these meetings, even on short notice, to …

FL Cattlemen’s Institute Reminder

Randall Weiseman Cattle, Florida

The Florida Cattlemen’s Association would like to remind producers about the the 2009 Florida Cattlemen’s Institute and Allied Trade Show which is going to be held this Thursday, January 15th at the Osceola Heritage Park, off Highway 192 east of Kissimmee.