Tallahassee, Fla. – Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) are announcing additional COVID-19 testing sites for farmworkers in St. Lucie and Miami Dade County as the fall harvest season begins. The product of a partnership with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), and local county governments, today’s announcement follows COVID-19 testing for farmworkers that was made available earlier …
NASDA CEO: Our Expectations for the Next Administration Are Clear
By Dr. Barb Glenn, CEO, NASDA As a non-partisan organization, you might ask yourself why the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) would wade into this very heated political time for Americans. The truth of the matter is that agriculture is not a red or blue issue. Rural communities matter now more than ever, and resiliency for rural …
Fashion and Textiles Industry Keen to Go Green Despite COVID Pandemic
New research shows business leaders at top fashion, retail and textile businesses are putting sustainability drive first, despite COVID-19 pandemic Memphis — New research reveals the extent of the global fashion industry’s commitment to sustainability, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, with sustainability ranked as the second most important strategic objective for businesses in the sector[i]. The new research, from the U.S. …
AEM Releases September ’20 Ag Equipment Sales Numbers
All segments of agricultural equipment sales grew in September 2020, continuing a positive trend for the year, according to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. U.S. total farm tractor sales rose 21.6% in September compared to 2019, while combine sales grew 8.2%. Four-wheel-drive units increased for the second month in a row in September, up 21.4%, cutting the year-to-date deficit almost …
PLC Payments Coming
October is the month when payments through the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program to farmers takes place. According to a report from Tyron Spearman, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is starting to make those payments. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Funding Crucial For Forage DevelopmentMay 22, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding to Enhance Brahman GeneticsMay 15, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement …
No Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo in 2021
The Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo’s executive committee voted unanimously last week to cancel the 2021 Show scheduled for Jan. 15 through Feb. 6. Event leadership says, “The challenges we face to create practical and enforceable protocols and procedures to comply with COVID-19 guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are extremely daunting.” More than 30,000 …
Sunbelt Ag Expo Monthly Blog Series
In September, the Sunbelt Ag Expo announced their new monthly blog series. Due to the fact this year’s Expo will not be held because of Covid-19, a decision was made to do a monthly online event. Each month a new topic will be presented, and this month they are discussing backyard gardening. The blog series takes place every Tuesday on …
Live Citrus Crop Forecast Today
On Oct. 9, the initial citrus crop forecast from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will be broadcast live at 12:00 p.m. EST. Tune in to the report on the Southeast AgNet Radio Network or online at CitrusIndustry.net/citrus-crop-forecast/. The live 2020–2021 citrus crop forecast is sponsored by Aerobotics, Farm Credit of Florida, Labor Solutions, OrangeRX and TradeMark …
Farmers Showing More Optimism in Monthly Ag Economy Barometer
U.S. agricultural producers became more optimistic again in September. The Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer climbed to 156, the highest reading for the index since the pandemic began last winter and 12 points higher than one-month earlier. Since July, the index is up 38 points and is 60 points higher than its 2020 low established back in April. In …
Study: COVID-19 Caused $8 Billion Loss for Ethanol Producers
A new study by university economists finds ethanol producers will experience roughly $8 billion in losses this year due to the pandemic’s impact on world fuel markets. The study, conducted by economists from the University of Florida and Arizona State University, was published recently in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Industrial Organization. The estimated economic loss grows to a …