In response to a request from Dianne Westmoreland, Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) acting State Executive Director in Georgia, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 19 counties in Georgia as primary natural disaster areas due to losses and damages caused by freeze that occurred from March 15, 2017, through March 18, 2017. Those counties are: Appling Brooks Echols McIntosh …
UF study: Cloning insect-fungus duo kills 500 million trees
by Ellison Langford, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Laurel wilt disease has killed as many as half-a-billion trees. And,a new study by a researcher with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences suggests it may have been spread by a single insect cloning itself. “In biology, there is no evidence of a single strain …
Florida Producer Pleased with Beef Checkoff
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been talking once again with Southeast producers about their beef checkoff and the various ways it has been instrumental. And in this weeks “Getting to know your beef checkoff” brought to you by your beef checkoff, Okeechobee, Florida rancher Flint Johns said he pleased with all the checkoff does. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle …
Scott Signs Major Water Bill Backed by Negron
from The News Service of Florida Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday signed a priority of Senate President Joe Negron that will allow the state to bond money for a controversial reservoir intended to help clean South Florida waterways. The measure (SB 10) was one of 11 bills that Scott signed into law. The water bill allows Florida to bond up …
UF Study Helps Save Revenue, Farms From Wireworms
by Beverly James University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Scientists with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences are helping state growers save money by managing wireworms in their sweet potato farms. Wireworms became a problem in Florida after sweet potato growers converted fields previously used to grow grain crops, said Robert Hochmuth, director …
Florida Legislature Budgets Items for Agriculture
The Florida Legislature did approve the $82.4 billion state budget before it wrapped up the 2017 legislative session on Monday night. The budget, which is for the fiscal year that starts July 1, passed by a vote of 98-14 in the House and 34-4 in the Senate. Southeast AgNet and Florida Cattlemen’s Association Tallahassee intern, Josie Tomkow, has a wrap …
Putnam: `No End In Sight’ to Wildfires
from The News Service of Florida Nearly 125 wildfires were active in the state on Monday, and the dry conditions are expected to continue into the early summer, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said. “Florida is in the middle of its worst wildfire season in years — with no end in sight,” Putnam said in a prepared statement. “With such an …
IFAS Hosts Pasture Walk to Discuss the Benefits of Winter Forage
By Patrick Troy and Jane Griffin Regional Specialized Agent Row Crops, and County Livestock and Forage Agent, Live Oak, FL, University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. As warm-season pastures in North Florida go dormant in the winter, livestock producers have two basic choices for animal feedstock: 1) purchase hay and store-bought supplements or 2) grow their own cool-season …
USDA Seeks Feedback from Growers
During the next several weeks, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ( USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct two major mid-year surveys, the June Agricultural Survey and the June Area Survey. The agency will survey nearly 1,200 producers across Alabama, 1000 producers across Florida and 1,800 producers across Georgia to determine crop production and supply levels in 2017. According to …
You Cannot Control the Weather, but UF-Developed Tools Help You Cope
by Brad Buck University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Florida weather is unpredictable. While you cannot control the weather, you can use UF/IFAS-developed weather databases to improve farming, home irrigation and flood control. Researchers with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences have written a new Extension document that summarizes several weather data portals …