USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida is currently accepting applications to fund agricultural easements in the state. NRCS provides both financial and technical assistance to conserve working lands and wetlands through two programs, Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) and Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE). Under the WRE component, financial assistance is available for landowners to enhance and protect habitat for wildlife …
April 15 is ACEP Signup Deadline in Alabama
For eligible Alabama producers interested in the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program’s (ACEP) Wetlands Reserve Easements (WRE) and Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) components, a reminder April 15th is the signup deadline for 2019 funding. In a release, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist for Alabama Ben Malone, said “We are looking to work with landowners and partners to help …
Soybean Growers Unhappy with President Trump’s Comments on Keeping Tariffs in Place under a China Agreement
The American Soybean Association (ASA) is not pleased with recent comments from President Trump that he could leave tariffs in place under an agreement with China. ASA has always considered the lifting of the Section 301 tariffs by the U.S. in exchange for China removing its retaliatory 25 percent tariff on U.S. soybean imports as essential to any initial agreement …
Statement on the Tomato Suspension Agreement
The Fresh Produce Association of the Americas (FPAA) and other allied groups such as the Border Trade Alliance continue to make misleading statements about the tomato suspension agreement in an apparent attempt to muddy the waters and stoke fear among other agricultural groups in the U.S. Here are a couple basic points to keep in mind: Support for the termination …
Senator David Perdue Calls On Colleagues To Support Disaster Relief Package
“Every night, farmers in Georgia get on their knees and pray that help will soon come.” U.S. Senator David Perdue (R-GA), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, spoke on the Senate floor to urge support for his bipartisan disaster relief package. The Senate voted 90-10 to begin debate on the bipartisan disaster relief package he introduced with Senator Johnny …
Trump to Tout Lake Okeechobee, Everglades Work
President Donald Trump will be in Florida this week to promote work on the Herbert Hoover Dike around Lake Okeechobee and a reservoir in the Everglades Agricultural Area, the White House confirmed Tuesday. Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere tweeted that Trump is slated to “visit Lake Okeechobee Friday to tout work on dike repair, EAA reservoir.” The tweet linked to …
USDA Designates 11 Florida Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas
Emergency Support to Producers in Surrounding Counties/Border States Also Available Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue designated 11 Florida counties as primary natural disaster areas. Producers in Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Liberty, Okaloosa, Walton and Washington counties who suffered losses caused by Hurricane Michael that occurred on Oct. 10, 2018, may be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) …
DeSantis, Cabinet Weigh Large Land Buy
Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet next week are slated to consider buying 5,534 acres in Hendry County through the Florida Forever conservation program. Under the proposal, which is on the agenda for a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, the state would pay $14.775 million to Alico, Inc. for the land, which is part of what is known as the broader …
Voting Period for National Peanut Research and Promotion Program
For the first time, eligible peanut producers can opt to vote electronically or by paper ballot. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has published a notice in the Federal Register announcing a referendum among eligible producers of peanuts to determine whether they favor continuance of the Peanut Promotion, Research and Information Order (Order), which authorizes the National Peanut Board. The referendum will …
Farm Futures Planting Survey Shows Less Corn Acres than USDA
Farmers indicate they may plant less corn than previously thought by the Department of Agriculture, according to the annual Farm Futures planting survey. The survey of 1,000 producers nationwide says that after planting more soybeans than corn in 2018 for the first time in 35 years, farmers want to return to more normal rotations this spring. However, with the impact …