Commissioner Wilton Simpson Announces Appointment of Rick Dolan as Director of the Florida Forest Service

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced the appointment of Rick Dolan as State Forester and Director of Florida Forest Forest, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. “I am pleased to announce Rick Dolan as our new Florida Forest Service Director. With his decades of experience, and proven leadership and emergency management skills, I am …

Cotton Producers in Florida Discuss New Association

The Florida Cotton Growers Association (FCGA) held three listening sessions across the panhandle this week to discuss policy, research, education, and promotion of the Florida cotton industry. It was explained to growers the proposed cotton assessment in Florida would be $1.00 per bale. If approved, 55 cents of that would go to the National Cotton Council, 10 cents to the Southern Cotton Growers, while …

House Looks to Speed Up Land Deals in Florida

(NSF/TALLAHASSEE, FL/March 27, 2023) — A House panel Monday rolled out a proposal that could help speed up land acquisitions for a proposed statewide wildlife corridor by allowing some deals to bypass approval from the governor and Cabinet. The House Agriculture, Conservation & Resiliency Subcommittee backed the proposal (PCB ACR 23-01), which, in part, would allow the Department of Environmental …

Florida Lawmakers Release Budgets

Week three of the 2023 Florida Legislative Session saw lawmakers from both the House and Senate releasing their budgets for the upcoming fiscal year. Florida Cattlemen’s Association (FCA) Director of Governmental Affairs, Sam Ard, notes the two preliminary budgets don’t quite mirror each other.  To learn more, contact the FCA office in Kissimmee. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Production ResearchMay 8, …

Signup for Conservation Incentive Contracts in Florida Ends Friday

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida wants interested producers to know the signup for new Fiscal Year 2023 funding for Conservation Incentive Contracts (CIC), through the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) ends Friday, March 24. EQIP-CIC expands resource bene?ts for Florida producers through incentive conservation practices. This includes wildlife management, cover crops, nutrient management, conservation crop rotations, prescribed grazing and more. EQIP-CIC …

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Simpson, Lawmakers Announce Proposal to Prohibit Local Special Assessments on Agricultural Lands

(FDACS/TALLAHASSEE, FL/March 21, 2023) — Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson, State Senator Jay Collins, State Representative Kaylee Tuck, and agriculture stakeholders announced a legislative proposal to prohibit local governments from levying special assessments on Florida agricultural lands. “All too often, our residents and decision makers take for granted Florida’s agricultural abundance, and believe that a safe, affordable, and abundant food …