Shoppers looking to buy local and support Alabama farmers will soon have a new way to identify locally grown products with the Sweet Grown Alabama logo. “As I travel across the state, most of the questions I receive from consumers are about their food and where it comes from,” said Commissioner Rick Pate of the Alabama Department of Agriculture and …
China Trade Standstill More Bad News for Farmers
The following statement is fromAmerican Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall: “China’s announcement that it will not buy any agricultural products from the United States is a body blow to thousands of farmers and ranchers who are already struggling to get by. “In the last 18 months alone, farm and ranch families have dealt with plunging commodity prices, awful weather …
Soy Flour Could Replace Petroleum-Based Adhesives in Wood Component Manufacturing
AUBURN, Ala. (AU/SFWS) – Soy flour could soon replace petroleum—at least in adhesives used in the manufacturing of particleboard. Professor Brian Via of the Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences has obtained a patent that will allow soy flour to replace petroleum-based adhesives traditionally utilized to manufacture wood components in particleboard, an engineered wood product commonly used in …
Commissioner Nikki Fried on China Halting U.S. Agricultural Imports
Tallahassee, Fla. (FDACS) – The Chinese government announced it will halt purchases of U.S. agricultural products, in response to President Donald Trump’s escalation of his trade war with China. Financial markets reacted with shock, calling it “massive…on a scale of 1 to 10, it’s an 11.” Earlier this year, China imposed 25 percent tariffs on many American agricultural products, which has been devastating …
Nearly $13 Million in Loans Awarded to Florida Agricultural Producers
Governor Ron DeSantis announced nearly $13 million has been awarded through the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan for agricultural producers. More than 70 applications have been approved from farmers in Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Okaloosa, Wakulla, Walton and Washington counties. “We remain committed to utilizing all available resources to help Floridians continuing to …
UF Offers New Horticultural Therapy Course with Certificate Program to Follow
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (UF/CALS) – As a junior psychology major at the University of Florida, Emily Fradet looked for ways to gain more hands-on experience in clinical psychology, counseling and therapy treatment of patients. She stumbled upon a new fall 2019 introductory course in horticultural therapy while searching for intriguing electives. “I’m interested in alternative forms of therapy, so I thought …
Senate Passes the Family Farmer Relief Act
(NAFB) — The Senate passed the Family Farmer Relief Act of 2019 late last week. It’s a bill that will expand family farmers’ access to relief under Chapter 12 farm bankruptcy rules by increasing the debt limit from $4.2 million to $10 million. The House of Representatives passed the bill earlier last week and it now moves on to President …
Senators Introduce Legislation to Redefine WOTUS
(NAFB) — Senators Joni Ernst of Iowa and Mike Braun of Indiana introduced the Define WOTUS Act last week. Feedstuffs Dot Com says the legislation will codify a definition of the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) Rule and reassert Congressional authority to define the term. Ernst says the Obama-era rule threatened Iowa’s farmers, manufacturers, and small businesses by giving the …
More Trade Negotiations Not Tariffs
(NAFB) — President Trump’s planned new tariff on all remaining Chinese exports to the U.S. is not going over well with American agriculture, despite the patience of many in farming with the tariff war, so far. A new 10 percent tariff on all remaining $300 billion in China’s exports to the U.S. will start September first because China gave no …
Young Farmers Cultivate Success In Statewide Contests
(ALFA) — Young farmers cultivated success — and scored more than $80,000 in prizes — during contests at the Alabama Farmers Federation’s 47th Commodity Producers Conference in Chattanooga Aug. 3. Luke Smelley won the 2019 Outstanding Young Farm Family (OYFF) competition. Judges visited his Hale County catfish, cattle and hay farm this summer, after finalists were named in March. Smelley …