The Florida Beef Council (FBC) is working with food service folks in a variety of ways this month. In our beef checkoff report, DeAnne Maples, director of beef marketing and promotion, says January is a great time to kick this off. And she wants those interested in becoming more active to know that applications are now being taken for Team Beef Florida. …
Lawmakers Eye ‘Long, Long Recovery’ from Hurricane
Hurricane Michael, which pummeled 10 Panhandle counties and spurred evacuation orders for 375,000 Floridians in October, left nearly seven times the debris of Hurricane Irma, which barreled across 45 counties in 2017. And in the three months since Michael came ashore at Mexico Beach, debris continues to be picked up, more than 102,000 people have registered for assistance, and 16 …
UF ‘Plant Whisperer’ Helps Floridians Keep Produce Lush, Green and Safe
Liz Felter gazes at the tomato plant and considers it quietly for a few seconds. Stroking the discolored leaves, she sticks two fingers in the soil and pushes the dirt down. “My gut tells me it’s not Erwinia,” says Felter, a University of Florida IFAS Extension regional specialized agent. The visitor to the UF/IFAS Diagnostic Plant Clinic in Apopka merely …
New Florida Ag Commissioner to Be Sworn in Tuesday
Florida Agriculture Commissioner-elect Nikki Fried, along with Governor-elect Ron DeSantis, returning Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis and Attorney General-elect Ashley Moody, will all be formally sworn into their jobs during a ceremony at 11 a.m. Tuesday on the steps of the Old Capitol in Tallahassee. According to a story from the News Service of Florida (NSF), various activities will be …
Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Tickets Now on Sale
Tickets are now on sale for the 40th annual Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame banquet on Feb. 12, which will honor four inductees who have made invaluable contributions to Florida agriculture. The banquet, which each year celebrates the accomplishments of industry leaders who have served in research, education and business, is held in the Special Events Center at the Florida …
Desantis Urged to Help Farmers on Trade Deal
Incoming Gov. Ron DeSantis is being urged to use his close ties with President Donald Trump to bolster efforts to help Florida farmers fend off low-priced crop imports that weren’t addressed in the rewrite of the North American Free Trade Agreement. During a conference call last week, several members of DeSantis’ Transition Advisory Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources & …
Florida Forest Service Provides Safety Tips for Disposing of Christmas Trees
The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, is encouraging Floridians to dispose of Christmas trees safely. Dry limbs and needles from discarded Christmas trees can be an ignition source for fire if not properly cleared away from homes and natural areas. One way to avoid this potential fire hazard is by recycling …
Weekly Livestock Market Report
***The markets will be closed the next two weeks due to Christmas and New Years holidays.*** Here are the weekly livestock market reports for Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, for the week ended December 21, 2018, compiled by the Livestock Market News Service for all three states. AL Livestock Market Report: At Alabama Livestock Auctions for the Week ended-December 21, 2018, …
Commissioner-elect Nikki Fried on Legalized Hemp
Following the news of the farm bill signing into law and the legalization of hemp nationwide, Commissioner-elect Nikki Fried offers the following: “Lifting the needless ban on hemp presents an incredible opportunity for our farmers and Florida as a whole. This is an alternative crop which will give Florida’s agriculture community the tools they need to be competitive and successful—it has the …
FDACS Winning Fight Against Destructive, Disease-Carrying Snail
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam announced that more than 168,000 Giant African Land Snails (GALS) have been eliminated in Florida since the invasive snail was discovered in Miami-Dade County in 2011. In addition, due to the success of the program, the department has decommissioned two additional core areas, two of the largest is the state, where snails were …