from The News Service of Florida Nearly 125 wildfires were active in the state on Monday, and the dry conditions are expected to continue into the early summer, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said. “Florida is in the middle of its worst wildfire season in years — with no end in sight,” Putnam said in a prepared statement. “With such an …
Gov. Ivey Lends Assistance to State Forestry Agency
Although only in office a few weeks, Gov. Kay Ivey is helping to shore up a state agency important to rural Alabama. State Forester Rick Oates said Ivey told him she intends to release nearly $500,000 from the governor’s discretionary departmental emergency fund to help the budget-stressed Alabama Forestry Commission (AFC). Last year’s drought-related fires took a toll on the …
Rising Drought and Wildfire Concerns in Florida
The threat of wildfire this month in Florida may be on the rise as drought coverage in the state is also increasing. Rod Bain has more. Sponsored ContentWhat Sets Provysol® Fungicide ApartJuly 8, 2025CIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2025Nuseed Carinata Covers New GroundOctober 1, 2024
International Trade and Deforestation: Potential Policy Effects via a Global Economic Model
by Jayson Beckman, Ron Sands, Anne Riddle, Tani Lee, and Jacob M. Walloga USDA Economic Research Service What is the Issue? An increasing world population and a shift in global diets toward vegetable oils and animal products increase the demand for agricultural commodities. To meet this demand, forestland is frequently converted into crop fields or pasture, especially in developing countries. …
National Arbor Day
Cathy Isom tells us about the National holiday dedicated to planting and caring for some of the Earth’s greatest treasures. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Every last Friday in April is National Arbor Day. It’s a holiday in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant and care for trees in their community. Trees provide …
USDA Seeks Nominees for Christmas Tree Promotion Board
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominations for the Christmas Tree Promotion Board to fill six seats for members and an importer whose terms expire on Dec. 31, 2017. The 12-member board is composed of 11 producer members from three regions and one importer. Five producer members are from the Western region, four are from the Eastern region …
Trump Administration Imposing Tariff on Canada Lumber Products
The Donald Trump administration intensified a decades-old trade dispute with Canada this week, announcing tariffs up to 24 percent on imported softwood lumber. Bloomberg News reports the step escalates an economic battle among neighboring countries that normally have one of the friendliest international relationships in the world. It follows a fight over a new Canadian milk policy that U.S. producers …
State Says Wildfires Likely to Get Worse
By Lloyd Dunkelburger, News Service of Florida With the state battling 106 wildfires covering 124,000 acres as of Wednesday, Florida’s top forestry official warned the fire season has yet to reach its peak. Jim Karels, director of the Florida Forest Service, said Florida is experiencing an “active early fire season,” with drought conditions throughout the state. “We tend to peak …
Putnam Turns to Public for Help with Wildfires
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam, while in Tallahassee this afternoon, is turning to the public for help with the state’s situation with the wildfires: “There are over 124,000 acres under active fire as of today, and we’re asking for the public’s help. If you’re riding down the road and see a fire starting, call 9-1-1. If you have information …
Agri View: Costly Brush Fire Disasters
Everett Griner talks about brush fires costly to farmers this year in today’s Agri View. Back in late February I did the best update I could on agriculture losses in that series of tornadoes that struck all the way from Louisiana into Georgia. You know the general news media never gives a report on farm losses in weather …