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), …
Commissioner Nikki Fried and Dignitaries Discuss Hurricane Damage and Recovery
On Monday, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried, State Senator George Gainer (R-Panama City), State Representative Brad Drake (R-DeFuniak Springs) and Florida Forest Service Director Jim Karels toured Hurricane Michael-damaged Jackson County and surrounding areas and discussed hurricane damage and ongoing recovery efforts and needs. The group toured several agricultural operations including timber, cotton and soybean farms in Jackson and Calhoun counties, and met with state forest …
Flatwoods Fire and Nature Festival
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida invites everyone to attend the Flatwoods Fire and Nature Festival, January 26, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on the University of Florida’s Austin Cary Forest off Waldo Road in Gainesville, FL. During the family-friendly festival, you can enjoy prescribed fire demonstrations, fire ecology tours, live wildlife, live music, food trucks, exhibits, quail mascot Burner …
Florida Forest Service Provides Safety Tips for Disposing of Christmas Trees
The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, is encouraging Floridians to dispose of Christmas trees safely. Dry limbs and needles from discarded Christmas trees can be an ignition source for fire if not properly cleared away from homes and natural areas. One way to avoid this potential fire hazard is by recycling …
Worried about Future Christmas Tree Farmers
Christmas tree growers of today are worried that as they retire, there are no younger growers lined up to take over. Gary Crawford has the story. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Allows Viable Research in the Cattle IndustryFebruary 6, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Track Record Well Received By LegislatorsJanuary 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Supports Beef Education and Promotion ProgramsJanuary …
Harvesting Homegrown Christmas Trees
Cathy Isom has taken us through each step of raising Christmas trees. In this program she gives us a few great pointers on how to harvest a Christmas tree. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Most people opts for a six to seven-foot Christmas tree. Growing a tree to this height can take approximately six to nine years to …
Caring for Homegrown Christmas Trees
There is a little more to it than just planting the tree seedlings and letting them grow. Cathy Isom lets you know more about how to care for homegrown Christmas Trees. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. When growing your own Christmas tree varieties, they require little care. During the first year of your seedlings growth, it’s important to …