To be successful in farming requires a good deal of stamina, flexibility, and determination, along with a love of the art of growing things. Charles “Chuck” Obern, owner of C&B Farms, Inc., embodies all these qualities, in addition to curiosity—an instinctive awareness that research can provide previously undiscovered or underutilized methods to improve crop health and yields. Graduating from the …
Commissioner Nikki Fried Visits Panhandle to Highlight Florida Aquaculture
Youngstown, Fla. (FDACS) – Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) officials visited Bay County to highlight the community’s aquaculture industry. Commissioner Fried toured the shellfish processing facility at Webb’s Seafood Inc. in Youngstown, and spoke about the Panhandle’s growing aquaculture industry. “Florida is one of the top states in the country for fresh seafood production, supporting almost 14,000 …
Facts of the Flow: Lake Okeechobee, 2019 Year-to-Date
Here is the latest update on inflows into Lake Okeechobee for the calendar year to date. There has been no back-pumping into Lake Okeechobee from the Everglades Agricultural Area this year. This data is provided by SFWMD’s DBHYDRO database. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding For Quicker Response to Research QuestionsApril 10, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Opportunities That …
Northeast Florida Farms Test ‘Eyes in the Ground’ Through UF Program
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (UF/IFAS) — Farming is a business of uncertainty. Through droughts and downpours, generations of Florida farmers have continued to till the land and contribute to a multibillion-dollar industry for the state. But agricultural innovations aim to minimize that uncertainty, and among the technological advances working to improve farmers’ crop yields are soil moisture sensors, which a University of …
Promoting Lean Beef to Florida Dieticians
The Florida Beef Council (FBC) will be in Marco Island later this week discussing lean beef during the Florida Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Conference. DeAnne Maples, FBC director of beef marketing and promotion, wants to make sure dieticians have the most current information. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding For Quicker Response to Research QuestionsApril 10, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Opportunities …
Feral Swine Eradication Signup Continues
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) reminds Southeast landowners that signup for the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program (FSCP) continues. It was developed to respond to the threat that feral swine pose to agriculture, native ecosystems, and human and animal health. The first round of pilot projects in the program are being offered in …
Beneath the Earth, the ‘Black Box’ of Soil Holds a Key to Crop Growth
IMMOKALEE, Fla. (UF/IFAS) — Like much of what lies just beneath the earth’s surface, soil microbes present a mystery. University of Florida scientist Sarah Strauss seeks to help untangle the web of intrigue surrounding soil microbes to improve agricultural production in Florida and globally. “There are microbial activities going on that we don’t exactly understand. It’s known as the ‘black …
Latest Cotton and Peanut Numbers
USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey has the latest look at the nation’s cotton crop. When it comes to the peanut crop, Rippey notes they are one crop developing ahead of schedule. In Alabama, 64 percent of the cotton is squaring, that compares to only 43 percent this time last year. 5 percent is setting bolls. 53 percent of the peanut crop …
Solutions Sought for Algae Woes
TALLAHASSEE (NSF) — Experts looking into toxic algae outbreaks that have exploded in state waterways want to know if anyone has a proven, innovative cleanup strategy that can be used. And they want to know quickly. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is formally accepting information through July 15 on ways to prevent, combat or clean up harmful algal blooms …
New Florida Laws Take Effect
Florida’s record $90.98 billion spending plan for next fiscal year and more than 100 new laws officially hits the books July 1, 2019. According to the News Service of Florida, the new laws passed by the Legislature this spring and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, deal with a variety of issues. Items of interest to agriculture in the state include: …