Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried sent a letter to President Donald Trump asking him to stop Chinese tariffs on Florida timber crops and end his growing trade war with China. The letter, also sent to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, cited the need to not worsen difficulties faced by Florida timber farmers. Florida …
NRCS White Oak Initiative Sign-Up in North Alabama
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Alabama wants to remind landowners sign-up is underway for a new initiative focused on increasing the number of white oak timber stands in north Alabama. According to the United States Forest Service’s Forest Inventory, white oak regeneration is not keeping pace with the amount of white oak timber being harvested and if not reversed, could …
Nikki Fried Urges Immediate Action by U.S. Senate on Disaster Relief
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried urged the U.S. Senate to take immediate action on long-overdue Hurricane Michael relief. With both chambers set to adjourn on Friday until June 3, Fried asked senators to send a bipartisan disaster assistance package to the President’s desk before the end of the week. The U.S. House passed a bipartisan disaster bill on May 10. …
Panel Advocates for Florida Ag to Florida Delegation
A panel of Florida agricultural leaders had a unique opportunity on May 16 to discuss Florida agriculture issues in front of the Florida delegation in Washington, D.C. The panel mainly focused on two topics: hurricane relief dollars and the impact of the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) on Florida produce. Led by delegation co-chairs, Alcee Hastings and Vern Buchanan, Florida’s …
NRCS Announces White Oak Initiative Sign-Up in North Alabama
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Alabama has announced the White Oak Initiative, which is focused on increasing the number of white oak timber stands in the northern part of the state. According to the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Inventory, white oak regeneration is not keeping pace with the amount of white oak timber being harvested. And if this trend is …
Coastal Headwaters Longleaf Forest Project
As part of a multi-year effort to expand longleaf pine forests across the Southeast, last week the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida, The Conservation Fund, and Resource Management Service held an event in Pace, Florida, to celebrate the completion of the first phase of the Coastal Headwaters Longleaf Forest project. The 3,719-acre conservation easement will restore …
Commissioner Nikki Fried Releases Hurricane Michael Video: “America’s Forgotten Disaster”
Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried released a new mini-documentary video entitled “America’s Forgotten Disaster,” highlighting the destruction and consequences of Hurricane Michael, with a focus on forestry and timber. The video documents Commissioner Fried’s tours of Panhandle communities devastated by Hurricane Michael, features visually powerful reminders of the damage to forests and timber farms and the looming threat of wildfire, and includes …
NRCS Florida State Technical Committee Meeting
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida has announced they will conduct a State Technical Committee Meeting on May 21, from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Doyle Conner Agriculture Building Auditorium in Gainesville. The meeting is open to the public and will give an overview of the 2018 Farm Bill programs and conservation easements. This year’s …
APHIS Launches Webpage for Pests and Diseases
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is launching a new “Pests and Diseases” webpage. The new page lists all pest and disease programs managed by APHIS as part of its mission to protect American agriculture and natural resources. On the new page, users can search by type (plant, animal), keyword (avian, fruit fly, cotton), …
UF Hosts International Forest Health Expert
The world is more interconnected than ever. Globalization allows for vast economic growth and development. However, there can be unintended consequences – the introduction of potentially threatening non-native species into new ecosystems. “Many small but mighty pests and pathogens are moving around the world,” said Jiri Hulcr, an associate professor with the UF/IFAS School of Forest Resources and Conservation (SFRC), …