2023 Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Inductees Announced

(FDACS/Tallahassee, FL/Nov. 1, 2022) — Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Foundation announced John T. Woeste and Donald J. Quincey as the 2023 Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame inductees. The induction ceremony will be held at the Florida State Fair’s Agricultural Hall of Fame Banquet on February 14, 2023. “Florida agriculture has always played a key role in our state’s development and economy, …

Florida Beef Council Attends School Nutrition Conference

Each year, the Florida Beef Council (FBC) attends various events where they talk with many people about the benefits of beef. And FBC Director of Education & Promotion, DeAnne Maples, told Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman she recently took part in an annual conference of those involved with school nutrition. For more information about Beef Checkoff promotions in Florida, contact the FBC office in …

Cathy Burns to Speak at Florida Ag Expo

The Florida Ag Expo is Wednesday, Nov, 2nd from 7:30am until 5:00pm at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Wimauma, FL. Those attending will want to catch the morning general session, which will tackle the big issues impacting specialty crops. Cathy Burns, chief executive officer of the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), will be speaking on trends impacting the produce industry. …

USTR, USDA to Assist Southeast Seasonal Produce Industry

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) will pursue avenues to assist the Southeast seasonal produce industry in coordination with the United States Department of Agriculture. The announcement comes after members of Congress requested an examination of certain issues in a September 8, 2022, Section 301 petition. The 301 statute requires that USTR make a decision on whether …

Two Florida Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas

This Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of …

Florida Cattlemen Thanks Those Who Provided Support for Ranchers

While the clean-up efforts after Hurricane Ian continue across certain areas of Florida, many folks have been involved in helping cattle ranches those parts of the state. The Florida Cattlemen’s Association (FCA) has had boots on the ground since the hurricane hit to help producers affected by the storm. Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman talked to FCA Director of Field Services Dusty Holley who …

Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award Winners Announced by FDACS

(FDACS/Tallahassee, FL/Oct. 25, 2022) — Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) are proud to announce the winners of the 2022 Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award. The program, created in 1994, highlights environmentally innovative farming practices across different parts of Florida’s agricultural industry. This year’s winners will be honored at the Commissioner’s Breakfast on Friday, October 28th, during …

Florida Beef Council Pleased with E-Commerce Campaign

Back in May, we told you the Florida Beef Council (FBC) had kicked off an e-commerce program promoting beef for summer grilling. FBC Director of Education & Promotion, DeAnne Maples, told Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman that they are pleased with the numbers coming back from that effort. For more information about Beef Checkoff promotions in Florida, contact the FBC office in Kissimmee at …

Preliminary Damage Assessment for Florida Agriculture Following Hurricane Ian

(FDACS/Tallahassee, FL/Oct. 24, 2022) — The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) and Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried released the FDACS preliminary damage assessment for agriculture following Hurricane Ian. The assessment considered losses to agriculture production and infrastructure and are estimated between $1,180,714,303 and $1,888,305,886. “While today’s assessment is a preliminary snapshot of the losses to Florida agriculture, it is a critical first step …