GAINESVILLE, FL (UF/IFAS) — If Hurricane Dorian makes landfall mid-way up Florida’s Atlantic Coast – as many models predicted Thursday afternoon – the storm could devastate not only Central Florida tourist destinations, but also the region’s agricultural areas, which include significant acreage devoted to citrus, vegetable, ornamental plant and cattle production. Economists and Extension faculty with the University of Florida …
Opportunities for U.S. Agricultural Exports in Canada
(USDA/FAS) — Canada is the United States’ largest export market for agricultural and agricultural-related products (includes distilled spirits, ethanol, biodiesel, fish, and forest products) with exports valued at $25 billion in 2018, accounting for more than 15 percent of total U.S. agricultural exports to the world. Canada is the only market where U.S. agricultural exports have consistently exceeded $20 billion …
Agriculture and Forestry in a Changing Climate: What the Future Holds for Florida
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (UF/IFAS) — A forum that will highlight climate challenges to Florida’s farms, ranches, and forests and steps that the state’s producers are taking in response is set for Monday, Aug. 12, at the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center in Gainesville. Agriculture and Forestry in a Changing Climate: What the Future Holds for Florida is also expected to …
Soy Flour Could Replace Petroleum-Based Adhesives in Wood Component Manufacturing
AUBURN, Ala. (AU/SFWS) – Soy flour could soon replace petroleum—at least in adhesives used in the manufacturing of particleboard. Professor Brian Via of the Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences has obtained a patent that will allow soy flour to replace petroleum-based adhesives traditionally utilized to manufacture wood components in particleboard, an engineered wood product commonly used in …
Alabama Ag Commissioner Pate Supports USMCA
Alabama Agriculture Commissioner Rick Pate issued the following statement on July 26, 2019: Alabama’s agricultural and forestry producers and related industries have been resilient in the face of hurricanes, tornados, floods, and droughts that devastated our state in the last few months. In addition to weathering these natural disasters, farmers and foresters now find themselves literally waiting on an Act …
Rubio Leads Florida, Georgia Colleagues in Urging USDA to Use Disaster Funds to Assist Forest Landowners and Timber Growers
U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rick Scott (R-FL) urged United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue to implement disaster relief as quickly as possible. Specifically, Rubio and Scott urged the administration to aid state governments in crafting effective forest restoration block grants. In addition to covering a large portion of debris removal, site preparation, and replanting costs, …
Trump Signs Disaster Relief Package
President Donald Trump on Thursday signed into law a $19.1 billion disaster-relief package that Florida officials have sought since Hurricane Michael pounded the Panhandle in October. The signing followed the U.S. House voting 354-58 on Monday to approve the measure, which passed the U.S. Senate earlier. The package is intended to assist communities in more than 40 states impacted by …
SmartMap 2.0: The Next Step
Technology is the future. While technology has been in homes, businesses and classrooms for many years, now technology is also helping enthusiasts who love casinos not on gamstop as well as those who work and play outdoors. The newest SmartMap release from Alabama Extension—SmartMap 2.0—focuses on using low-cost unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) technology for video capture, forest mapping and other …
Alabama White Oak Initiative Sign-Up Ends Monday
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Alabama reminds landowners in the Northern part of the state the signup deadline for the new initiative focused on increasing the number of White Oak Timber stands is Monday, June 3. White oak is an important component of Alabama’s forests due to the high value of the wood for veneer, cooperage (bourbon barrels), flooring, cabinet-making, …
Rubio, Hyde-Smith, Wicker, Cotton Introduce Bill to Help Private Forest Owners Recover From Disasters
A Third of Forest Land in the U.S. is Held by Family Landowners, Who Find Limited Options Following Loss of Timber to Natural Disasters U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced the Forest Recovery Act (S.1687), which would amend the U.S. tax code to establish a special rule for losses of uncut timber …