On the face of it, it’s not a fair fight. Farming in Florida is hard enough, but then the rules of that fight constantly change. New bugs and diseases raid crops. Volatile markets say plant now while the weather says plant later. Consumers keep changing their minds about what to eat. New plant varieties give farmers a fighting chance by …
Florida Forest Industry Generates Nearly $13B in Annual Sales, 36,000 Jobs
Florida’s forest industry generated $12.55 billion in sales revenues in 2016, which translated to more jobs, according to a new UF/IFAS economic report. The sales figure is up about $4.77 billion from 2003, according to the report. More money sometimes means more jobs, and in the case of the forest industry, it did. For 2016, the industry directly employed 36,055 …
Scott Urges Senate to Immediately Pass Relief Package
Florida Governor Rick Scott sent a letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations this week urging the Senate to act immediately and pass a significant Hurricane Irma and Maria disaster relief package. In the letter, Scott thanked the House for its work to pass a relief package prior to Christmas which supports Florida citrus and provides critical funding for …
Florida Farmers Brace for Cold Weather
Florida farmers were preparing Thursday for continuing cold weather, with temperatures expected to drop into the 30s overnight as far south as Fort Myers and Homestead. Many of Florida’s crops cannot handle freezing temperatures for long periods. Citrus and strawberry farmers are preparing harvests ahead of time, often running irrigation systems to create small layers of ice over the fruit …
U.S. Sugar Prepares for Cold Weather in South Florida
With South Florida expected to experience some of the coldest weather of the season, U.S. Sugar and its family of farmers have begun making preparations to limit any impact on crops. U.S. Sugar’s Senior Director for Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Judy Sanchez issued the following statement: “As the coldest weather of the winter thus far approaches, like most farmers …
Florida Georgia Water Battle to Supreme Court Monday
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments Monday (1-8-18) in a long-running water battle between Florida and Georgia. The crux of the issue: Florida contends that Georgia is siphoning too much water in northern parts of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system, damaging the Apalachicola River and the oyster industry in Franklin County’s Apalachicola Bay. But a special master appointed by the …
Register for the 2018 Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Banquet
The Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Banquet will take place Feb. 13 in Tampa. This event will honor the 2018 inductees to the Hall of Fame. Four agricultural leaders have been chosen to enter the Hall of Fame this year. They are Alfonso Fanjul, J. Pepe Fanjul, Lowell Loadholtz and Harold K. Mikell. These four men have dedicated their lives …
Florida Special EQIP Signup Ends Thursday
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Florida wants to remind agricultural producers who suffered damage from Hurricane Irma that this Thursday, December 28, is the deadline to apply for financial and technical assistance in the special Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) signup. Florida Special EQIP Signup Ends Thursday Sponsored ContentStrong Relationship Exists Between the Florida Cattle Enhancement Board and UF-IFASApril 17, …
Weekly Livestock Market Report
***The Weekly Livestock Market Reports will not be issued for the next two weeks due to the holidays. The next reports will be issued Friday January 12, 2018.*** Here are the weekly livestock market reports for Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, for the week ended December 22, 2017, compiled by the Livestock Market News Service for all three states. AL …
Mike Sparks Comments on Federal Funding Delay
Although the House cleared federal relief funding on Thursday, the Senate will delay their decision until the new year. The $81 billion disaster-relief package includes money for Florida citrus growers impacted by Hurricane Irma. Mike Sparks, CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual, says although he is happy with the House passing the relief package, the delay in the Senate is disappointing. …