Three finalists have been selected for Florida Farm Bureau’s 2017 Achievement in Agriculture Award and will compete in October for the top statewide honor at the Florida Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in Ponte Vedra. This year’s finalists are Brittany Lee (Alachua County), Jimmy Hancock (Pasco County) and Kelly Mosley (Clay County). The Achievement in Agriculture Award recognizes members of Florida …
Florida Commissioner’s Spotlight: FRESH! Recipe – Balsamic Watermelon
On this week’s Commissioner’s Spotlight, Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam is joined by Executive Chef Justin Timineri to talk about a tasty new way to enjoy watermelon, Fresh From Florida! Ingredients: Watermelon Slices 6-12 slices of fresh Florida watermelon 4-6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled Mint Oil 1/2 cup olive oil 20-25 fresh mint leaves 2 tablespoons fresh parsley Sea …
Florida Rep. Roth Recaps his First Year
Rick Roth, West Palm Beach native and vegetable farmer, has completed his first year in the Florida Legislature serving the 85th district. He discusses his first year as a representative and his plans for his second year serving Florida. Roth says he found the legislative process to be very exciting. “It was an information party,” he says. As a vegetable …
Hydroponics to Improve Yield, Minimize Water Use
Hydroponic growing systems are a means for growers to potentially improve yield, says Dr. Davie Kadyampakeni, an assistant professor at the Citrus Research and Education Center at the University of Florida. These systems are a way for farmers to grow crops without soil by using water and a nutrient solution. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Alternative Farming Systems Information Center …
Putnam Comments Re: Phosphorous Reduction in Everglades Agricultural Area
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam released the following statement regarding the South Florida Water Management District’s announcement that for the Water Year 2017 monitoring period, the Everglades Water Quality Program achieved a 70-percent phosphorous reduction. “We continue to make headway in restoring the health of the Everglades, and the Everglades Agricultural Area has, yet again, exceeded state-mandated goals …
EAA Farmers Achieve Another Year of Water Quality Success for the Everglades
Environmental Agency Announces Everglades Agricultural Area Reduced Phosphorus by Nearly 3 Times the Goal The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) announced that farmers in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) achieved another successful year of water-quality success, announcing a 70 percent reduction in phosphorous for Water Year 2017. The reduction is nearly three times the 25 percent reduction goal set …
From the Family farm to UF/IFAS: The New Chair of Environmental Horticulture
by Brad Buck, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences When he was 4, Dean Kopsell moved with his family to a 200-acre nursery in northern Illinois. He spent days roaming the farm, wading in the creek that ran through the property and playing in the barns. In high school and college, Kopsell worked summers with his dad, selling …
Do You Love Watermelon in the Hot Summer? University of Florida scientists are on the case
by Brad Buck, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Some people love to eat a juicy, seedless watermelon for a tasty, refreshing snack during a hot, Florida summer day. University of Florida scientists have found a way to stave off potential diseases while retaining that flavor. Consumers increasingly savor the convenience and taste of seedless watermelons, said Xin …
New Date for Florida State Technical Advisory Committee Meeting
We told recently that USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida was inviting producers and landowners to its State Technical Advisory Committee meeting, on August 17. But NRCS announced this week the date of that meeting has been changed. The meeting instead has been moved up a couple of days and now will take place August 15. Sponsored ContentCIR …
Farmers Invited to Various Events
There are various events coming up yet this week that Tyron Spearman wants to remind farmers about. One of those is, of course, the Sunbelt Ag Expo Field Day taking place Thursday. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up Funding YearJune 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Awarded Researcher Discusses New World Screwworm OverviewJune …