(NSF) — State wildlife officials said Wednesday they hope a full five years won’t be needed to restore conditions in Apalachicola Bay as they suspended wild-oyster harvesting in the bay. Members of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved the suspension as part of a $20 million restoration effort. The decision came despite pleas from officials in Panhandle communities …
Secretary Perdue Applauds USDA’s 2020 Accomplishments
(USDA) — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue applauded the accomplishments made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) over the past year. “While this was a tough year with the coronavirus, historic wildfires, and weather damage, USDA met these challenges with a multitude of programs and services to support Americans and keep our agricultural sector running and responsive to the …
UF Scientists Help Thwart Disease that can Ravage the Popular Gerbera Daisies
(UF/IFAS) — Gerbera daisies are popular worldwide for their wide array of brightly colored flowers. They also make great plants for the garden, and their blooms yield long-lasting cut flowers. Many newlyweds use cut gerbera flowers to decorate their wedding ceremonies. Gerbera daisies also are increasingly used as garden, bedding, patio and indoor plants. Cut flower gerberas in the United States …
Farmer Certification Program Creates Healthier Landscapes for Bees
(USDA) — Bees are a lifeline for farms producing the world’s fruits, vegetables, nuts and other nutrient-rich foods. Bees pollinate billions of dollars’ worth of crops and play an essential role in our food supply. Pollinators are responsible for one in every three bites of food we eat and contribute more than $15 billion to our nation’s crop values each …
Applications Open For Hurricane Zeta Assistance Through Ag Foundation
(ALFA) — The Alabama Farmers Agriculture Foundation (AFAF) is accepting applications through Jan. 15 from farmers who suffered losses related to Hurricane Zeta. AFAF and Alabama Farmers Federation President Jimmy Parnell said the Foundation established a Hurricane Relief Fund in response to calls from farmers and businesses who wanted to help their neighbors. It was utilized earlier this year for …
AgDiscovery Summer Student Program Now Accepting Applications
(USDA/APHIS) — AgDiscovery is a national summer outreach program designed to introduce students in grades 7-12 to the exciting world of agricultural sciences. The program is a unique opportunity for students to gain a first-hand view of many fascinating career paths available in the agricultural sciences field, including plant and animal health, wildlife management, biotechnology, environmental science, forestry, entomology, food …
2020 Land Market Ending with Optimism
(NAFB) — The 2020 land market closes with optimism, according to Farmers National Company. The year started with land prices strengthening before COVID-19. The pandemic paused the land market before interest returned in the summer. Now, Randy Dickhut of Farmers National Company says an improved outlook for grain prices and government aid increasing farm income has resurrected interest in farmland. …
Employment Outlook Promising for New College Graduates in Agriculture
(NAFB) — A report last week from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Purdue University shows a strong job demand for new college graduates with degrees in agricultural programs. U.S. college graduates can expect approximately 59,400 job opportunities annually between 2020 and 2025. This reflects a 2.6 percent growth from the previous five years. Employer demand will exceed …
Chairman Roberts Receives NCBA’s Capitol Hill Top Hand Award
(NCBA) — The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) recognized U.S. Senator and Chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) with the Capitol Hill Top Hand Award in honor of his long career fighting for cattle producers and rural communities in our nation’s capital. “Chairman Roberts is a pillar of the cattle industry and there is no …
Pandemic Fuels some of 2020’s Most-Searched UF/IFAS Extension Information
(UF/IFAS) — The coronavirus pandemic occupied space in everyone’s minds this year, prompting online searches about any variety of topics related to it. The year’s most popular UF/IFAS Extension EDIS publications were no exception, with two of the top 10 being brand-new documents related to food safety and the coronavirus. In all, the Electronic Data Information Source, which hosts peer-reviewed …