Commissioner Gary W. Black and the Georgia Department of Agriculture are excited to kick off a week of celebrating Georgia’s diverse agriculture with their third annual Georgia Agriculture Awareness week. “We should thank our farmers every day for the blessings they give us by providing the most abundant and safe food supply in the world,” Black said. “But this week …
Senate Poised to Support Home Vegetables Gardens
The Senate next week could approve a measure aimed at preventing local governments from regulating homeowners’ vegetable gardens. Senators on Thursday took up the bill (SB 82), sponsored by Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, and positioned it for a vote. The issue stems from a legal dispute between homeowners Hermine Ricketts and Laurence Carroll and the Village of Miami Shores …
APHIS Launches Webpage for Pests and Diseases
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is launching a new “Pests and Diseases” webpage. The new page lists all pest and disease programs managed by APHIS as part of its mission to protect American agriculture and natural resources. On the new page, users can search by type (plant, animal), keyword (avian, fruit fly, cotton), …
Ag Equipment Sales Remain Positive in February
The latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers shows U.S. sales of ag tractors and combines remained in the plus column in February. Total two-wheel drive tractor sales grew 17 percent compared to February of last year. That category was led by under-40-horsepower machines, which gained 24 percent over last year, as well as a seven percent gain for …
Trump Budget Includes Crop Insurance Cuts
The fiscal year 2020 budget submitted by President Donald Trump includes a couple of points sure to ignite debate in the budgetary process. The proposal includes imposing work requirements on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients. The Hagstrom Report says the proposed budget also imposes work requirements on recipients of Medicare and federal housing benefits. The work requirements will likely reduce …
Bayer “Farm for Good” Program
The Crop Science Division of Bayer is inviting Southern growers to take part in their Farm for Good™ Sweepstakes, where you could win a $5,000 donation to the local charity of your choice. Farm for Good donations will be awarded to 10 growers from the Southern states for a total of $50,000 in charitable donations to benefit organizations in grower communities. Keith Rucker, Technical Service …
Trump Budget Rapped over Everglades Money
Environmentalists and some high-profile supporters of President Donald Trump are criticizing his proposed budget for not including enough money for Everglades restoration. U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., and U.S. Rep. Francis Rooney, R-Fla., issued a news release Wednesday saying the White House budget request “failed to include sufficient funding for …
Broad Coalition Urges Congress to Protect Farm Bill Program Funding
As farmers, ranchers and rural communities grapple with a devastatingly weak farm economy, nearly 200 organizations, including the American Farm Bureau Federation and several state Farm Bureaus, are urging congressional budget writers to reject calls for additional cuts to farm bill programs. The bipartisan, budget-neutral 2018 farm bill was built upon the previous farm bill, which made a significant contribution …
USDA Announces Launch of the Start Simple with MyPlate Campaign
In a continuing effort to help Americans make healthy food choices, and in honor of National Nutrition Month®, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced a new campaign to help simplify the nutrition information that surrounds us each day. Start Simple with MyPlate is a new initiative to reduce confusion surrounding healthy eating and help people start with the …
Putnam Named CEO of Ducks Unlimited
Former Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam was named Wednesday as chief executive officer of the national group Ducks Unlimited. Putnam finished his second term as agriculture commissioner in January after losing a Republican primary for governor. He will begin leading Ducks Unlimited, which works to conserve waterfowl habitats and educate both children and adults, letting them find out how long …