FL Special Session Budget Cuts Hit UF/IFAS, FDACS

Gary Cooper Citrus, Florida, General, Specialty Crops, Sugar, Vegetables

Florida Farm Bureau’s Ben Parks in Tallahassee offers more details and insight into the Special Session budget cuts and key agriculture concerns going forward, since much more budget cutting is expected in the general session yet to come. In the first report below, Farm Bureau’s Parks discusses the general situation and some of the impacts to FDACS, in the second …

How Will Watermelons Fare in a Tighter Economy?

Gary Cooper Citrus, Florida, General, Specialty Crops, Vegetables

Florida leads the U S in watermelon production, and in light of the present economic situation all around, we asked National Watermelon Association Executive Bob Morrissey how he felt watermelons would fare on the marketing side considering the consumer belt tightening going on. Hear his comments in this report. By the way, some in our citrus audience may recognize Bob, …

Congressman Jack Kingston on Challenges Ahead

Randall Weiseman General, Georgia

As we get into a new year and new administration Congressman Jack Kingston says that there will be challenges to overcome and that it is more important than ever for farmers to get involved. Sponsored ContentFCEB Recurring Funding Provides Opportunity for Longer Term Research ProjectsOctober 10, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Advances Forage ResearchOctober 3, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Acts As …

FL NRCS Announces Signup Cutoff Dates

Randall Weiseman Cattle, Florida, General, Livestock, USDA-NRCS

State Conservationist Carlos Suarez with USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service in Florida has announced the cutoff date for two farm bill conservation programs, as all applications for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) will be accepted until close of business on February 27, 2009. Sponsored ContentFCEB Recurring Funding Provides Opportunity for Longer Term Research …

Weather Watching – The Bigger Picture

Gary Cooper General

From the high plains all the way to south Florida, farmers are watching the weather closely this week. More in this report. Sponsored ContentFCEB Recurring Funding Provides Opportunity for Longer Term Research ProjectsOctober 10, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Advances Forage ResearchOctober 3, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Acts As Catalyst For Timely ResearchSeptember 26, 2025

Sen Ag Committee Holds Hearing on Nominee for Top USDA Post

Gary Cooper General

This release just in from the office of U S Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga): SEN. CHAMBLISS: GOV. VILSACK SHOULD BE THE NEXT SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE (WASHINGTON, D.C.) U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Ranking Republican Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today received testimony from former Iowa Governor Thomas Vilsack for consideration to be the next Secretary of the U.S. Department …

Estate Tax Not Going Away

Randall Weiseman Cattle, General, Livestock

There are indications that President-elect Barack Obama, with the support of congressional leaders, will move to block the estate tax from disappearing in 2010. Sponsored ContentFCEB Recurring Funding Provides Opportunity for Longer Term Research ProjectsOctober 10, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Advances Forage ResearchOctober 3, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Acts As Catalyst For Timely ResearchSeptember 26, 2025

FL Farm Bureau Follow Up On Ag Budget Cuts in Special Session

Gary Cooper Citrus, Florida, General, Sugar

In this report, Florida Farm Bureau Director of Legislative Affairs Ben Parks in Tallahassee gives our listeners a rundown of the budget cuts to the Florida Dept of Agriculture in the Special Session this month. Sponsored ContentFCEB Recurring Funding Provides Opportunity for Longer Term Research ProjectsOctober 10, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Advances Forage ResearchOctober 3, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Acts …

Food Safety Scares: It Can Happen To ANY Commodity

Gary Cooper Alabama, Citrus, Florida, General, Georgia, Specialty Crops, Vegetables

Reggie Brown of the Florida Tomato Exchange (photo) was a featured speaker in a couple of the sessions at the recent Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference in Savannah, GA. After what he and his industry went through in 2008 due to innaccurate reporting of a salmonella outbreak that did not involve tomatoes at all, Brown had some pointed comments for …