By developing a simple, $50 trap, University of Florida scientists can gather spores from a pathogen of pine trees and hopefully help prevent diseases from causing more harm to the multibillion-a-year forest industry. Millions of pine trees dot the southern landscape, and they’re susceptible to many diseases, including pitch canker, said Tania Quesada, an assistant research scientist with the UF …
UF Study: Large Termite Colonies Less Vulnerable to Sprays Than Baits
Liquid sprays don’t control large subterranean termite colonies as well as baits, giving more credence to the benefits of baits as a way to minimize the bugs’ damage to structures, a new University of Florida study shows. Formosan and Asian subterranean termites are responsible for most of the $32 billion in economic damage to structures worldwide, UF Institute of Food …
Alachua County Team Wins 3rd in National 4-H Forestry Invitational
What is the principal softwood used for lumber in Massachusetts? On what continent are maples most abundant? What is a liquid product of wood that is used in mixing paints?* At the 39th National 4-H Forestry Invitational, a team of four local high school students went head to head with teams from across the country to answer these questions and …
Signup Batching Deadline Announced for Alabama’s Natural Resources Conservation Service Landscape Initiatives
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist for Alabama Ben Malone announced that October 19, 2018 is the signup batching date for producers for 2019 program funding for the following national landscape initiatives: Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) which includes only 3 national landscape initiatives identified below. These include: Gopher Tortoise Habitat Improvement: includes forestry practices and prescribed burning for pre-commercial thinning. …
Blackwater River State Forest Expands
Thanks to funding from the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Navy, Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam announced that the Blackwater River State Forest will expand by 800 acres due to the acquisition of the Florida Forever Project Area Wolfe Creek Forest. The Florida Forest Service partnered with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Santa Rosa County, the Naval …
Agri View: Christmas Tree Crop Problems
Everett Griner talks about problems with the 2018 Christmas tree crop in today’s Agri View. Everett explains how the problems with the drought, and other problems, will affect the price of the trees this year. Christmas Tree Crop Problems Here is an early warning. There is likely to be a price hike on Christmas trees. Not this year. Not next …
Putnam Promotes Operation Outdoor Freedom
During a quick campaign stop in Pensacola this morning, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam took time to also promote Operation Outdoor Freedom. Putnam Promotes Operation Outdoor Freedom Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Opportunities That Spark Research ProjectsApril 3, 2026United Dairy Farmers of Florida Director Encouraged About the FutureMarch 27, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provided Opportunity To Highlight Difficult …
Congressman Yoho on Longleaf Pine Initiative
Landowners across the Southeast are always encouraged to take part in the Longleaf Pine Initiative through USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). And during a recent interview with Southeast AgNet, U.S. Congressman and member of the House Agriculture Committee, Ted Yoho from Florida, talked about their efforts to include even more pine species in the initiative. Congressman Yoho on Longleaf …
USDA Forest Service Announces New Strategy for Improving Forest Conditions
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (USFS) announced a new strategy for managing catastrophic wildfires and the impacts of invasive species, drought, and insect and disease epidemics. Specifically, a new report titled Toward Shared Stewardship across Landscapes: An Outcome-based investment Strategy (PDF, 3.7 MB) outlines the USFS’s plans to work more closely with states to identify landscape-scale priorities for targeted treatments in …
New Florida Regulations for Harvesting Saw Palmetto Berries
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, along with the Endangered Plant Advisory Council, recently added saw palmetto to the Department’s commercially exploited plant list. The new requirements took effect July 17, 2018. OFFICE OF AGRICULTURAL LAW ENFORCEMENT LEGAL BULLETIN 2018-02 SAW PALMETTO After receiving input from public and private landowners, conservation interests, and other interested parties, the Endangered Plant Advisory …