Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam announced that estimated agricultural damages due to Hurricane Michael total nearly $1.5 billion, with the timber industry bearing the brunt of the devastation at $1.3 billion in economic losses. “Hurricane Michael devastated the Florida Panhandle, and many of Florida’s rural communities, which rely heavily on agriculture, took the worst hit. As we continue …
Fried Tops Caldwell By Narrow Margin in Ag Commissioner Race
After trailing on election night, Democrat Nikki Fried held a slight lead Friday morning in her race with Republican Matt Caldwell to become state agriculture commissioner. With votes continuing to be counted, Fried held a 2,915-vote lead as of 7 a.m. Friday, according to the state Division of Elections website. With 8,046,381 votes tallied in the Cabinet race, Fried had …
Deadlines Set in Florida-Georgia ‘Water War’
Florida and Georgia will have until the end of January to file new arguments in the legal fight over water use impacting the Apalachicola River system, a special master said this week. Paul J. Kelly, a senior judge on the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals who is serving as special master, set a Jan. 31 deadline for the initial …
Additional USDA Disaster Assistance Workshops Set for Hurricane Michael Recovery
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) is hosting disaster assistance and hurricane recovery workshops in Liberty, Gulf, Wakulla and Bay counties. These events are free and open to the public. Representatives from USDA will present information on the various disaster assistance programs and resources available for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. Workshop topics include emergency assistance …
Florida Agriculture Literacy Day is Tuesday
Florida Agriculture in the Classroom (FAITC) moved their annual Agriculture Literacy Day to the fall this year, and the new date is Tuesday, November 13, 2018. Agriculture Literacy Day this year will be using the book, “These Florida Farms!” That is the 2008-2009 book, and they invite Florida agriculture industry volunteers to find an elementary school near them. Florida Department …
State Cabinet Race Heads Toward Recount
Despite a declaration of victory Tuesday night by Republican Matt Caldwell, the race for Florida agriculture commissioner likely will require a recount, joining expected recounts in the U.S. Senate race and a handful of state legislative contests. Caldwell, a state House member from North Fort Myers, led by less than 13,000 votes late Wednesday morning in the Cabinet race against …
Caldwell Claims Victory in Agriculture Commissioner Race
Republican state Rep. Matt Caldwell declared victory Tuesday night as he held a narrow advantage in the contest to succeed term-limited Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. Caldwell, a real-estate appraiser from North Fort Myers, gave an acceptance speech from an election watch party, according to WGCU Public Media. As of 11:30 p.m., Caldwell led Democrat Nikki Fried by about 41,000 votes …
WHIP Signup Ends Next Week
As agricultural producers across parts of Alabama, Florida and Georgia continue to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) wants to remind producers affected by hurricanes and wildfires last year that signup for assistance through the 2017 Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program (2017 WHIP) ends Nov. 16, 2018. Eligible crops, trees, bushes or vines, …
Weekly Livestock Market Report
Here are the weekly livestock market reports for Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, for the week ended November 02, 2018, compiled by the Livestock Market News Service for all three states. AL Livestock Market Report: AL Livestock Market Report At Alabama Livestock Auctions for the Week ended-November 02, 2018, receipts at 21 markets totaled an estimated 15,500 head compared to 17,440 …
Florida Disaster Assistance and Hurricane Recovery Workshops
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) wants to remind agricultural producers affected by Hurricane Michael that representatives from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Farm Service Agency (FSA), Rural Development (RD) and Risk Management Agency (RMA) will present disaster assistance workshops next week. Topics to be discussed include emergency assistance for livestock & crop-related expenses and losses; financial assistance programs …