The Florida legislative session is in its final week, and the Senate president and House speaker stepped in Sunday afternoon to take over budget negotiations as lawmakers have been working to meet a Tuesday deadline to finish work on a nearly $83 billion spending plan. According to a story from the News Service of Florida, while agreements on spending levels …
Time to Celebrate a Year-Round, Healthy Snack – the Strawberry
by Brad Buck, University of Florida/IFAS May is National Strawberry Month, a time to reflect on the history of this sweet, nutrition-packed fruit that grows well in Florida – and to extol its health benefits. Strawberries originally grew in Europe. In France, people regarded them as the highest-quality aphrodisiac. People believed Alpine strawberries provided various medicinal benefits. While some used the leaves, …
Environmental Budget Talks Falter
by Brandon Larrabee, News Service of Florida Negotiations between the House and Senate about funding for environmental and water programs imploded Saturday, as talks over a new state budget moved up the ladder ahead of a Tuesday deadline. A visibly irritated Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, announced Saturday that he would ask for all of the issues that once separated …
Request from the Florida Conservation Group
With time running out on the 2017 Florida legislative session, the Budget Conference Committee is in negotiations to finalize the final details of the budget. But there are concerns with some in agriculture that the budget does not include funding for conservation easements. And Southeast AgNet Tallahassee Intern, Josie Tomkow, talked with their Vice Chairman, Jim Strickland, who is asking …
Hashing Out Final Details of Florida State Budget
The Florida legislative session is down to its last week, as it is scheduled to end Friday, May 5. Work continues on the state budget, as the Budget Conference Committee has started their negotiations, but there is not a lot of time left for them to work out the details in order to adjourn on time. The budget has to …
Backroom Briefing: Putnam No Fan of NAFTA
by Jim Turner, News Service of Florida Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, who may be getting closer to announcing a bid for governor, continued lambasting the North American Free Trade Agreement this week as President Donald Trump backed off, for now, on withdrawing the U.S. from the pact. Putnam’s office said Wednesday he has implored U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross …
Gianna Rivera Wins “Fresh From Florida” Student Chef Cook-Off
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services today announced that Gianna Rivera of Bloomingdale High School in Hillsborough County is the 2017 “Fresh From Florida” Student Chef Cook-Off champion. Rivera competed against four other regional finalists from across the state. Rivera’s winning Citrus Chicken Taco with Watermelon Salsa will be served in a school cafeteria, and the recipes of …
Florida Forever Update from Rep. Albritton
With just a week and a half left to the Florida legislative session, various bills continue to work their way through the process. Yesterday, Southeast AgNet Tallahassee Intern Josie Tomkow caught up with Representative Ben Albritton from District 56, which includes Hardee, Desoto, and southern Polk counties. He has an update concerning the Florida Forever program. Sponsored ContentCattle Producers Proud …
Lobbyist Backs Away From Florida Forever Comments
From: News Service of Florida Eric Draper, executive director of Audubon Florida and a prominent environmental lobbyist, released a statement Tuesday walking back concerns about a House measure that would alter the distribution of money for land conservation. Draper said he was wrong Monday to link a House bill (PCB GAC17-06) that would change the state’s Florida Forever land-conservation program …
Perdue Is 31st USDA Secretary
It finally took place this week, the confirmation of Sonny Perdue as agriculture secretary. Confirmation was achieved on a strong Senate bipartisan vote of 87-11, as several Democrats backed President Trump’s nominee. The entire agriculture industry has been anxiously awaiting his appointment, as the former Georgia governor has a variety of issues to deal with right away. But many agricultural …