New H-2A Labor Wages Effective Dec. 29

Dan Beef, Beef, Cattle, Citrus, Dairy, Equine, Field Crops, Forestry, Fruits, Hemp, Herbs, Industry, Labor and Immigration, Legislative, Livestock, Nursery Crops, Organic, Pecans, Pork, Poultry, Rabbits, Regulation, Sheep-Goats, Specialty Crops, Sugar, Tree Nuts, Vegetables

A recent issue of the Florida Citrus Mutual Triangle newsletter provided information about the wage that growers must pay H-2A labor, effective Dec. 29. H-2A workers are foreign agricultural workers who are allowed to work in the United States temporarily. In recent years, the vast majority of Florida citrus has been harvested by H-2A workers. The Employment and Training Administration …

USDA to Issue Final Pandemic Payments for Timber Harvesters and Haulers

Dan Forestry, Legislative, Regulation, USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will start issuing final pandemic assistance payments to timber harvesters and timber hauling businesses through the Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers (PATHH) program next week. Overall, $200 million will be provided to loggers and log trucking businesses who experienced a gross revenue loss of at least 10% during the period of Jan. 1 through Dec. …

Wild Turkey Habitats

Dan Forestry, Poultry

A survey by the National Turkey Federation (NTF) says over this Thanksgiving holiday 88% of us will be eating turkey. And while most of those birds served up will be farm raised, some gobblers will be hunted in the wild. Around 6.2 million wild turkeys trot around the U.S. and can be found in 49 of the 50 states, thriving in woodlands …

Reasons to Leave Tree Removal to the Experts

Dan Forestry, This Land of Ours

Why you should leave it to the experts when it comes to removing trees on your property. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Most often people want to remove a tree because it’s planted in the wrong location, has grown too big, or becomes a problem with the driveway and sidewalk. Or perhaps the tree is diseased, dead …

Right Supplies for Safely Cutting Down Trees

Dan Forestry

Choosing the right supplies for safely cutting down trees.  That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Cutting down a tree takes planning and care or you risk harming yourself or damaging your property. But done right, you can beautify your property or stock up on fuel for the winter. For starters, you’ll need different tools to take down different …

New Study Reveals the Dangers of Tree Felling

Dan Forestry, This Land of Ours

What a new study is revealing about the dangers of tree felling. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Tree felling — whether by professional loggers in a forest setting or by landscapers in urban and rural landscapes — is the most dangerous job in what are two of the most dangerous industries. That’s according to Penn State researchers who conducted …

Stay Vigilant on Handwashing and Hygiene

Dan Cattle, Citrus, Coronavirus, Environment, Field Crops, Forestry, General, Labor and Immigration, Livestock, Nursery Crops, Organic, Specialty Crops

If you visited any public building or restroom during the COVID-19 pandemic, you may have noticed an increased focus on handwashing and hygiene principles reflected in an abundance of signage on doors and in hallways. While it is great that public awareness has increased in the last 18 months, these have always been important principles, especially for all food-related businesses. …

USDA Unveils New Climate Partnership Initiative, Requests Public Input

Dan Climate Change, Environment, Florida, Forestry, USDA-NRCS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is committed to partnering with agriculture, forestry and rural communities to develop climate solutions that strengthen rural America. Thus, they are requesting public comments on a new climate partnership initiative designed to create new revenue streams for producers via market opportunities for commodities produced using climate-smart practices. USDA will support a set of pilot …