The Florida Legislative Session was originally scheduled to end today, March 11. But since an agreement had not been reached on the budget by Tuesday, the session will now wrap up on Monday. That is if lawmakers vote to pass the budget they agreed upon on Thursday. House and Senate negotiators finished a record $112 billion budget for the 2022-2023 …
Florida Lawmakers Give DeSantis More Appointment Power
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his successors will have more power over some high-level state appointments under a bill headed to his desk. Without debate, the Florida House on Wednesday voted 77-34, mostly along party lines, to approve a measure (SB 1658) that would increase the governor’s power to appoint the secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, the commissioner of …
Florida Legislative Session Headed to Overtime
(NSF) – With a budget remaining unfinished Tuesday night, the annual Florida legislative session is headed to overtime. Senate President Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, and House Speaker Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, issued a memo shortly before 9 p.m. Tuesday that said budget talks would continue Wednesday. Cooling Off Period State law requires a 72-hour “cooling off” period before lawmakers can vote …
Wildfires Threaten as Concerns Grow in the Deep South
Tuesday morning, the Florida Forest Service (FFS) announced there were nearly 160 wildfires burning some 33,600 acres throughout Florida. FFS wildland firefighters and resources from numerous fire and emergency service departments have been working around the clock to help suppression efforts. This includes the Chipola Complex, which encompasses three wildfires that have grown to over 29,200 acres. This is all due to …
USDA NRCS in Florida Accepting Applications for EQIP Urban Agricultural Initiative
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced applications are now being accepted from Florida urban agricultural producers for Urban Agriculture and Innovation Production (UAIP) projects. These projects are under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), which offers producers technical and financial assistance to address resource concerns on their land. “Urban agriculture projects can help improve nutrition and food access and increase …
Livestock Market Reports for Week Ended 03-4-2022
Here are the weekly livestock market reports for Alabama, Florida, and Georgia for the week ended March 4, 2022, compiled by the Livestock Market News Service for all three states. AL Livestock Market Report: At Alabama Livestock Auctions, for the week ended March 4, 2022, receipts at 21 markets totaled an estimated 8,200 head compared to 9,477 last week and …
Florida Senate Backs Effort to Expand Broadband?
The Florida Senate on Thursday (Mar. 3, 2022) unanimously passed a proposal that would create a framework to help expand broadband into underserved areas. Linked bills (SB 1800 and SB 1802), sponsored by Sen. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, would establish a program to replace poles to help extend broadband. Sen. Loranne Ausley, a Tallahassee Democrat whose district includes sprawling rural areas, …
Florida Lawmakers Hoping to Finalize Budget Issues
As Florida lawmakers continue to finalize many issues in week eight of the Florida Legislative Session, the budget continues to be the major topic of discussion. According to Florida Cattlemen’s Association (FCA) Director of Governmental Affairs Sam Ard, negotiators from both the House and Senate have been working out some of the high profile spending issues in what is being described as a …
Florida Beef Council Pleased with Beef It’s What’s For Dinner 300
The Beef It’s What’s For Dinner 300 was run last month at the Daytona International Speedway, and the event was a major promotion for the beef industry. The Florida Beef Council (FBC) was of course very involved in the overall event and FBC Director of Education & Promotion, DeAnne Maples, told Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman it went fantastic. For more information about this and other Beef Checkoff …
Florida Pesticide Applicators Can Now Take Licensing Exams Online
(UF-IFAS/GAINESVILLE, Fl/Feb. 28, 2022) — In Florida, pesticide licensing exams help ensure the state’s approximately 70,000 pesticide applicators follow state regulations and best practices for mitigating the impact of chemicals on the environment. Historically, the exam has only been offered in person at pre-scheduled times. The UF/IFAS Pesticide Information Office has announced that applicators will now have the option of …