Key Georgia Leaders Announce Statewide Farmer Mental Health Initiative

by Will Jordan “Mental health is an issue we need to talk about,” said Clay Talton, Director of Field Services for Georgia. On Wednesday, October 18, during the Sunbelt Ag Expo, Georgia state leaders gathered to announce a new farm worker mental health initiative. Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Commissioner Kevin Tanner, Georgia Department of Agriculture Commissioner Tyler …

AGR “Buck Off” Supports Florida Youth in Agriculture

By Will Jordan Alpha Gamma Rho, the University of Florida’s sole agricultural fraternity, will be holding its annual “Buck-Off” philanthropic event this fall. “Buck-Off” is a fundraising campaign aimed at financing student projects for Florida FFA and 4-H Youth Development Programs. Through fundraising for FFA and 4-H programs, the University of Florida’s Alpha Gamma Rho seeks to grow their collaborative …

ADUFA Reauthorization Ensures Important Animal Drug Access

by Will Jordan The Animal Drug User Fee Act, better known as ADUFA, received reauthorization with the recent stop-gap funding bill passed by Congress. Signed into law in 2003, reauthorization has been required every five years since then. ADUFA amends the Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act, allowing the FDA to collect fees dedicated to the animal drug review process. Through …

Farm Bill: Where are We Now?

by Will Jordan Missing their September 30 deadline for passage of a Farm Bill, Congress still has work to do. A stop-gap funding bill extended government funding for another 45 days, yet turmoil in the House of Representatives leaves concern among agricultural groups. 81.1% of $1.5 Trillion in funding for the Farm Bill goes towards funding SNAP programs leaving a …

Georgia Farmer Sets Soybean Yield World Record

by Will Jordan This fall saw a new record set for soybean yield at 206.79 bushels per acre, surpassing the previous record that stood at 190.23 bushels. The record was set by Alex Harrell of Lee County, Georgia using Bayer Crop Science’s Asgrow AG48X9 soybean variety. I recently visited with Alex to discuss this world record. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement …

GPC: Peanuts Racing to the Mind of Consumers

by Will Jordan Georgia Peanuts raced to the finish line in the Yellawood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway with driver Todd Gilliland finishing 13th out of a field of 38 in the NASCAR Cup Series Race. Each of the 188 ground-pounding laps took the Georgia Peanut Commission’s Georgia Peanut branding to fans both in the stands and at home. Investing peanut …

“Uncharted Waters”: What McCarthy Ouster Means for Agriculture

by Will Jordan The U.S. Congress voted late afternoon, Tuesday, October 3rd to vacate the Office of the Speaker. The vote received 216 yay and 210 nay votes, ousting Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) from his leadership role as Speaker of the House. This vote followed the stop-gap funding bill he pushed through by McCarthy, to prevent a government shutdown, the …

From Farms to Farmers Markets: Tuberville Boosts Tree Nut Industry

Exclusive Op-Ed, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville There’s nothing better than a Saturday morning stroll through a farmers market. For tree nut farmers, the “farm to table” process isn’t so easy. They spend months working from dawn to dusk to grow the nut products Americans have come to know and love. Slow-growing tree nuts are a delicacy for many, whether eaten …

Georgia Peanut Tour Visits Southwest Georgia

By Will Jordan The Georgia Peanut Tour, coordinated by the Georgia Peanut Commission, University of Georgia Extension peanut team and the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, focused on Southwest Georgia during its visit through Southwest Georgia on Sept. 12-14. Participants came from many states and foreign countries to familiarize themselves with peanut production. During one stop on the tour, …