Florida Natural Resource Meeting Web Conference is June 23

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida will conduct a State Technical Committee meeting June 23 from 10 a.m.- 12 noon by web conference. NRCS will seek recommendations and provide a report for fiscal year 2022 natural resource and program priority decisions. Florida State Conservationist Juan Hernandez, who will chair the meeting, says he seeks advice from the farmers, ranchers and …

Commissioner Nikki Fried Joins USDA Event on American Rescue Plan Debt Relief for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried joined U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Monica Rainge, U.S. Representative Al Lawson, Jr. (FL-5), and others to highlight historic American Rescue Plan provisions that provide $4 billion in debt relief to socially disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, and growers. They were joined at the Florida A&M University (FAMU) Research and Extension Center in Quincy, Florida by FAMU President Larry Robinson, Ph.D., …

Pre-Registrations Ending Soon for Florida Cattlemen’s Convention

The 2021 Florida Cattlemen’s Association Convention and Trade Show will be held June 15-17 at the JW Marriott in Marco Island. But FCA Director of Field Services, Dusty Holley, says pre-registrations need to be in by next week. Learn more at floridacattlemen.org. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up Funding YearJune 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Awarded Researcher Discusses …

Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and Florida Forest Service Director Erin Albury on Firefighting Helicopter Crash

Tallahassee, Fla. – A firefighting helicopter crashed during a training exercise in Leesburg with four people on board. One fatality has been confirmed and three individuals remain unaccounted for. The Federal Aviation Administration will begin investigating the incident and officials have not immediately released additional information. At the direction of Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, flags will be lowered to half-staff at all Florida Forest Service facilities, offices, …

Florida Beef Council Conducts Farm to Fork Tour

The Florida Beef Council (FBC) recently conducted a Farm to Fork Tour with a restaurant group, an opportunity that was made possible by the Beef Checkoff program. FBC Chairman Flint Johns explains what the overall tour included. Farm to fork tours like this are designed to help influencers really understand what goes into producing beef. For more information about the …

Florida Webinar to Explain How to Apply for CIG

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Florida recently announced they will be investing $300,000 for Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for high tunnel systems that improve weather resiliency and improve degraded plant conditions. The deadline to submit a proposal is July 12. And for those who would like more information on how to apply for a Florida state grant, a webinar will be held Thursday, May …

Rain Causing Cotton Planting Delays

Planting of cotton and peanut seed continues across the Southeast. But according to the weekly report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA-NASS), the number of acres planted are a bit behind what has been normal over the past five years. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says rain is causing delays, especially in cotton planting. In Alabama, …

Crew Leaders Backed in Overtime Fight

A federal appeals court sided with two crew leaders on Friday in a dispute about whether they should be paid overtime for driving farmworkers to accomplish tasks like buy groceries, go to the bank and do laundry. Crew leaders Jose Ramirez and Joel Santana filed the lawsuit in 2017 against Statewide Harvesting & Hauling, LLC, which is a Florida company …