In anticipation of Hurricane Irma making landfall in Florida, legislative leaders have canceled committee meetings scheduled for next week. According to a story from the News Service of Florida, Senate President Joe Negron and House Speaker Richard Corcoran called off what would have been the first committee meetings to prepare for the 2018 legislative session, citing concerns about potential damage …
UF/IFAS Responds to Hurricane Irma with Releases, Resource List
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences has prepared links and resource lists for dealing with the impact of Hurricane Irma. Topics include the impact of citrus and other crops, how to safeguard livestock, and what UF/IFAS Extension offices across the state are doing to help residents. Please click here for access to releases, closings and resources. …
Florida Farmers Brace for Irma
Hurricane Irma is threatening havoc in Floria farmlands. Bloomberg says the hurricane is threatening a negative impact on $1.2 billion dollars worth of production in America’s number one grower of tomatoes, oranges, green beans, cucumbers, squash, and sugarcane. Florida has a huge influence on the American food supply as the number two producer grower, second only to California. Almost 10 …
UF Extension Gives Tips on How to Protect Livestock During Hurricane
While Florida residents scramble to prepare for Hurricane Irma, agriculture operators are working to make sure their livestock survive the storm. Agents with University of Florida IFAS Extension offer advice on how to safeguard animals before, during and after the storm. “After Hurricane Matthew, we had livestock die from dehydration, electrocution and collapsed barns,” said Cindy B. Sanders, UF/IFAS Extension …
Agriculture Continues to Prepare for Hurricane Irma
As Hurricane Irma moves towards South Florida, preparations for its arrival continue for many in the agriculture industry in the state. Livestock evacuations have been taking place throughout the week, as temporary shelters in both Alabama and Georgia have opened. Both states have also temporarily suspended Animal Interstate Movement Health Requirements for animals being evacuated from the areas expected to …
Displaced Horses Continue to Find Shelter at Florida Agriculture Center & Horse Park
The Florida Agricultural Center & Horse Park (FHP) located in Ocala, Florida is currently providing shelter and boarding for 126 horses displaced due to the imminent threat of Hurricane Irma. After receiving the initial inquiry last week, FHP immediately began to accept evacuees. The facility can host up to 160 horses at capacity and encourages those seeking lodging for their …
Jimmy Osceola Wins Florida NRCS Native Art Competition
Story by Beverly Bidney, The Seminole Tribune An oil painting created by artist Jimmy Osceola depicting Seminoles at Lake Okeechobee won the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service poster contest in August. The theme of the competition was “Water is the Essential Element.” Osceola’s painting, titled “Big Water of Life”, will be printed on posters and distributed to the United States …
Four Livestock Shelters Open in Alabama in Preparation for Hurricane Irma
With expectations of Hurricane Irma making landfall in south Florida this weekend, the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) has been in contact with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES), Alabama Farmers Federation (ALFA), Alabama Horse Council and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumers Services to confirm temporary sheltering facilities for evacuated livestock including horses and cattle. “Hurricane …
Florida Horse Park Full
With Hurricane Irma inching towards Florida, many folks are looking for a place to shelter their animals through a possible hit from the storm. But it’s been announced that the Florida Horse Park in Ocala is 100% booked with horse refugees. Many horses have already been turned away, so if you were thinking of taking animals to that location to …
Putnam Announces Suspension of Intrastate Movement Requirements for Transportation of Pets and Livestock
Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam’s department suspended intrastate movement requirements for the transportation of animals from the areas expected to be impacted by Hurricane Irma. Additionally, Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi have waived their interstate import requirements for Florida pets and livestock. “By suspending the intrastate movement requirements for the transportation of animals, we can ensure that Floridians and visitors …