A new, four-year study published in Public Health Nutrition found that drinking 100 percent orange juice (OJ) is not associated with negative effects on body weight, body mass index (BMI) or BMI percentile among 9- to 16-year-olds. It also found that higher OJ consumption is associated with increased height for girls and increased trends for physical activity levels in both …
Insurance, Water Issues on the Table for Legislative Session
(NSF) — Florida senators will be asked to eliminate the state’s no-fault auto insurance option and increase spending to repair the state’s natural springs, the incoming Senate president said Thursday. Senate President-designate Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, told business leaders that lawmakers meeting for the 2021 legislative session also will need to consider efforts to keep polluted Central Florida waters from flowing …
North American Ag Officials Affirm Role of States and Provinces in Implementation of USMCA
(NASDA) — Members of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) and their state and provincial counterparts from Mexico and Canada today issued a joint communiqué underscoring the role of states and provinces in successful implementation of the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) Trade Agreement. North American state and provincial agriculture officials gathered virtually this week for the 29th annual Tri-National Agricultural …
Six Members and Seven Alternates Named to the National Peanut Board
(NPB) — Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue recently appointed six members and seven alternates to serve on the National Peanut Board. The appointees will serve three-year terms, from Jan. 1, 2021, to Dec. 31, 2023, with the exceptions of the Missouri appointees and At-Large alternate appointee whose terms will begin immediately and will end Dec. 31, 2022. The members and …
The Beef Checkoff: Beef Demand Is a Well-Primed Pump
(CBB) — There seems to be a rash of articles and news pieces in ag media lately, focused on beef demand and its driving power and importance in everything from cattle prices to grocery store sales. The writers and experts all agree on this: the process of generating beef demand is like a well-primed pump. It provides the beef industry …
State Cattle Groups Support Cattle Market Transparency Act
More than a dozen state cattle organization voice their support for the Cattle Market Transparency Act. In a letter to Senate Agriculture Committee leadership, 16 state cattle groups say the bill “will aid in cattle market transparency for all producers.” Led by the Nebraska Cattlemen’s Association, the group says, “our respective organizations do not ask for any type of market …
Facts of the Flow: Lake Okeechobee, 2020 Year-to-Date
(SFWMD) — Here is the latest update on inflows into Lake Okeechobee for the calendar year to date. This data is provided by SFWMD’s DBHYDRO database. There has been no back-pumping into Lake Okeechobee from the Everglades Agricultural Area this year. Source: South Florida Water Management District Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Acts As Catalyst For Timely ResearchSeptember 26, 2025Florida …
New Blackberries: Eclipse, Galaxy, and Twilight
(USDA/ARS) — The best of eastern and western blackberry genetics have been melded to create Eclipse, Galaxy and Twilight, three new blackberry varieties released by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS). ARS’ Horticultural Crops Research Laboratory in Corvallis, Oregon, working in cooperation with the Oregon State University Agricultural Experiment Station, has blended the desirable traits of eastern erect-cane blackberries and western …
USDA Offers Secure New Options for Signing, Sharing Documents Online
Farmers and ranchers working with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) or Farm Service Agency (FSA) can now sign and share documents online in just a few clicks. By using Box or OneSpan, producers can digitally complete business transactions without leaving their homes or agricultural operations. Both services are free, secure, and available for multiple NRCS and FSA programs. Box is a secure, cloud-based site …
Cattle Producers Recognized for Outstanding Environmental Stewardship
(NCBA) — In a special edition of NCBA’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen, seven of the nation’s top cattle operations were honored for implementing practices that make them true stewards of land, air and water resources. Each of these farms and ranches exemplify the commitment of all producers to protect the resources in their care and improve their operations for future generations …