(NSF) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said a controversial environmental bill is “dramatically” improved from when he severely criticized the measure during the middle of the legislative session. The Senate voted 33-0 and the House voted 99-8 on Monday to approve the budget-related bill (SB 2508) as they finished the session. While DeSantis wouldn’t say whether he will sign the bill, …
Florida Beef Served at Volusia County Event
The Florida Beef Council (FBC) participated in a Volusia County Event last week. FBC Director of Education & Promotion DeAnne Maples explained to Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman what it was all about and who took part in it. For more information about this and other Beef Checkoff promotions, contact the FBC office in Kissimmee. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, …
Florida Legislative Session Ends
Florida lawmakers passed a record $112.1-billion budget Monday to end a legislative session dominated by fierce debates about issues such as education, abortion and immigration. The election-year spending plan was pumped up by federal stimulus money and higher-than-expected state tax collections. It funnels money to many issues, including higher funding for public schools and pay raises for state employees. The …
Livestock Market Reports for Week Ended 03-11-2022
Here are the weekly livestock market reports for Alabama, Florida, and Georgia for the week ended March 11, 2022, compiled by the Livestock Market News Service for all three states. AL Livestock Market Report: At the Alabama Livestock Auctions for the week ending March 11, sold cattle receipts at the 21 markets were an estimated 13,200 head compared to 8,245 …
Florida Senate Confirms DEP Secretary
Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Shawn Hamilton was unanimously confirmed today by the Senate, less than a day after a law was enacted that gave Gov. Ron DeSantis more say in the appointment process. According to the News Service of Florida, Hamilton’s confirmation was held up for two days as the Senate waited for the House to approve the …
Florida Lawmakers Agree on Record Budget
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 …