Florida Cattle Producers See Destruction from Hurricane Michael

We are seeing a lot in the news about the devastation Hurricane Michael caused in Florida, but we don’t see much on how it affected agriculture, especially cattle ranches in the state. Jim Handley, Florida Cattlemen’s Association executive vice president, discusses the damage found on many farms in Hurricane Michael’s path. He tells what is being done to help those …

Timber Damage from Hurricane Michael Estimated at $1.3 Billion

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam and the Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, announced the estimated value of timber damage in Florida due to Hurricane Michael is $1.3 billion, impacting nearly 3 million acres of forestland. “This is a catastrophic loss to the forest industry in the Florida Panhandle,” said …

Putnam Continues to Meet with Agricultural Leaders to Assess Damage

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam has been in regular communication with federal partners, including Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary Sonny Perdue, as well as the agriculture industry to assess agricultural damage caused by Hurricane Michael. He met with agricultural leaders on the topic, and the Florida Forest Service is finalizing its analysis of damage to timber. “Recovery …

USDA Provides Hurricane Michael Victims Needed Relief and Recovery Aid

To help residents, farmers and ranchers affected by the devastation caused by Hurricane Michael, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to aid people in their recovery efforts. USDA staff in the regional, state and county offices are actively responding, providing emergency response staffing and a variety of program flexibilities and other assistance …

UF Student Helps Design Corn Maze at Local Farm

Farmers and ranchers across Florida are fighting lack of consumer education on food systems by opening their properties to the public in a practice called agritourism. Agritourism allows non-farming folks to learn about the day-to-day operations of a working farm and see first-hand where their food comes from. One such farm is the Single R Ranch in Plant City, Florida. …

Green Group Blast Endorsement

NOTE: This website has reported several inconsistencies and misreporting of facts about Lake Okeechobee, the sugar industry and reporting about algae blooms in estuaries in southeast and southwest this summer. Please find some of these related reports at these links for your perusal: Florida’s Algae Blooms and Red Tide: Consider the Facts Political Event Falls Short on Facts Environmental groups …

Southeast Hay Contest Results Announced

Since 2004, the Southeast Hay Contest has been spotlighting high-quality hay and baleage production in the Southeast. And during this week’s Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, Georgia, the 2018 award winners were announced. Dr. Dennis Hancock, with the University of Georgia, told Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman that he was very pleased with this year’s contest. Southeast Hay Contest Results Announced …

EQIP Signup for Florida Landowners Continues

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida reminds farmers, ranchers and forest owners you have until November 2 to apply for financial and technical assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Nathan Fikkert, Conservation Programs Specialist for NRCS, explains what this sign-up involves. EQIP Signup for Florida Landowners Continues Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up Funding …

UF Gives Update on Crop Damage in Florida

As of Oct. 15, economists with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) have begun gathering information they need to develop formal estimates of damages and crop losses Hurricane Michael inflicted upon agricultural and natural resources industries operating in Florida’s Panhandle. Dollar figures aren’t ready yet, but they’re on the way, said Alan Hodges, director of …