Coastal Headwaters Longleaf Forest Project

As part of a multi-year effort to expand longleaf pine forests across the Southeast, last week the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida, The Conservation Fund, and Resource Management Service held an event in Pace, Florida, to celebrate the completion of the first phase of the Coastal Headwaters Longleaf Forest project. The 3,719-acre conservation easement will restore …

Final Week of Florida Legislative Session

This is the final week for the 2019 Florida legislative session. The budget is one of the major issues lawmakers will be trying to finalize. Florida Cattlemen’s Association Director of Governmental Affairs Sam Ard says it’s been a tough year for agriculture in the budget. Sponsored ContentStrong Relationship Exists Between the Florida Cattle Enhancement Board and UF-IFASApril 17, 2026Florida Cattle …

Political Wrangling Over Conservation Program Could Exacerbate Florida Algae Issues

by Gary Cooper In weekend budget talks, lawmakers slash funding for a key land and water conservation program that is vital to restoring Florida’s waterways. Florida’s Rural and Family Lands Protection Program (RFLPP) is a budget casualty. This program has a 20-year track record of success in preserving green space in perpetuity, while keeping farmland on the tax rolls. Program …

Florida Conservation Easement Signup Deadline Is Thursday

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida reminds landowners the deadline to apply for funding of agricultural easements in the state is Thursday, April 25. NRCS provides financial and technical assistance to conserve working lands and wetlands through two programs: Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) and Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE). Agricultural landowners and Indian tribes can …

Commissioner Nikki Fried Releases Hurricane Michael Video: “America’s Forgotten Disaster”

Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried released a new mini-documentary video entitled “America’s Forgotten Disaster,” highlighting the destruction and consequences of Hurricane Michael, with a focus on forestry and timber. The video documents Commissioner Fried’s tours of Panhandle communities devastated by Hurricane Michael, features visually powerful reminders of the damage to forests and timber farms and the looming threat of wildfire, and includes …

Ag’s Past Water Quality Successes Not in Today’s SFWMD “Discussion”

Areas north of Lake Okeechobee can expect increased attention as debates about water-quality issues and who should do what about them continue in South Florida. At a gathering about the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Protection Plan (LOWPP) Thursday in Okeechobee, it became apparent that the vast investments the area’s farmers, ranchers and dairy producers have been making in water-quality projects for …

Final Days of Florida Legislative Session

Just a few days remain in the 2019 Florida Legislative Session. Florida Cattlemen’s Association (FCA) Director of Governmental Affairs, Sam Ard, explains what lawmakers will be focused on this week. Sponsored ContentStrong Relationship Exists Between the Florida Cattle Enhancement Board and UF-IFASApril 17, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding For Quicker Response to Research QuestionsApril 10, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Opportunities …