Census of Agriculture Coming Soon

Farmers across the country will soon be receiving forms for the 2017 Census of Agriculture. The Department of Agriculture’s National Ag Statistics Service says farmers and ranchers should start seeing those forms in about seven weeks. Conducted once every five years, the census of agriculture is a complete count of all U.S. farms, ranches, and those who operate them. And …

Researchers Awarded Grant to Improve How Plants Get Nitrogen, Reduce Pollution

A team of researchers at the universities of Florida and Wisconsin-Madison will use a $7.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to pinpoint genes that could improve plants’ ability to access nitrogen, an essential nutrient for plant growth. Enhancing plants’ nitrogen uptake could increase food security by promoting crop growth in poor soils and could reduce the need …

Weekly Livestock Market Report

Here are the Alabama, Florida, and Georgia livestock market reports for the week ended September 29, 2017, compiled by the Livestock Market News Service for all three states.   AL Livestock Market Report: At Alabama Livestock Auctions for the week ended September 29, 2017, receipts at 21 markets totaled an estimated 14,800 head compared to 21,829 last week and 12,840 …

Gary Vallad Awarded Researcher of the Year

Gary Vallad, professor of plant pathology at the University of Florida, was awarded researcher of the year today during the award luncheon at the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association’s (FFVA) annual convention. Vallad is stationed at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Wimauma, Florida. He works on several crops including tomato, watermelon, pomegranate and more. Vallad says it …

Weekly Livestock Market Report

Here are the Alabama, Florida, and Georgia livestock market reports for the week ended September 22, 2017, compiled by the Livestock Market News Service for all three states.   AL Livestock Market Report: At Alabama Livestock Auctions for the week ended September 22, 2017, receipts at 21 markets totaled an estimated 21,900 head compared to 6,777 last week and 14,706 …

USDA Approves D-SNAP for Florida Disaster Counties

Floridians struggling with the after-effects of Hurricane Irma could be eligible for help buying food through USDA’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP), the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said that households who may not normally be eligible under regular SNAP rules may qualify for D-SNAP — if their income is under the disaster limits and they …

Florida Farm Bureau Donates to Families Here and in Texas

Florida farmers well know the difficulty of restoring operations after a major storm. They are busy reconstructing and repairing their own properties in the wake of Hurricane Irma’s destruction. But they have also taken a moment to help other farm families in need. The Florida Farm Bureau State Board of Directors has established a Hurricane Irma Disaster Relief Fund to …

Assistance Helps Florida Farmers Conserve Natural Resources

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Florida has announced that farmers, ranchers, and forest owners can now apply for financial and technical assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). The signup period is open until November 17 for the fiscal year 2018 funding. Assistance Helps Farmers, Ranchers Conserve Natural Resources Application deadline for financial assistance Nov. 17 Florida farmers, …

Rubio, Nelson Push for Agriculture Help

U.S. Sen Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., want the federal government to quickly approve aid for farmers, small business and communities impacted by Hurricane Irma. In a letter Wednesday to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, the senators asked for “expedited consideration of any disaster declaration and assistance requests.” Irma caused extensive damage to citrus crops …