Florida Eyes Deepwater Horizon Money for Land Deal

Dan Environment, Florida, Forestry, Industry News Release

Florida officials are looking at using money from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill to help shield timber land in Dixie County from future development. Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet next week will decide whether to spend $6.4 million to purchase what is known as a “conservation easement” on nearly 20,000 acres of timber land near the Suwannee River …

Georgia Grown Products Selected as Good Food Awards Finalists

Dan Georgia, Industry News Release

Eight Georgia Grown products have been named in a competitive pool of finalists for the 2019 Good Food Awards. With over 2,000 entries, The Good Food Foundation announced 401 industry-leading food and drink finalists from across 40 states, including eight from Georgia. “I believe Georgia Grown companies produce the most flavorful, accessible and highly-regarded food and drink products in the …

Feds Taking Steps to Address Rural Veterinary Shortages

Dan Cattle, Industry News Release, Livestock

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture is taking steps to address veterinary shortages in rural America. The agency says 74 food animal and public health veterinarians will get educational loan assistance in exchange for a three-year commitment to practice in a USDA-designated veterinary shortage area. The awards were handed out as part of the Veterinary …

Florida-Grown Romaine Cleared as FDA Continues E. coli Outbreak Investigation

Dan Florida, Industry News Release, Vegetables

Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have cleared Florida-grown romaine lettuce. Their ongoing investigation into the multi-state E. coli outbreak has determined that the implicated romaine comes from areas of California. On Nov. 20, the CDC advised the public not to eat any romaine …

GDA Commends USDA’s New Biosecurity Campaign

Dan Georgia, Industry News Release, Poultry

The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) commends the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) new outreach campaign focused on preventing the spread of infectious poultry diseases in both commercial and backyard poultry. Poultry is Georgia’s top agricultural sector, contributing more than $25 billion to Georgia’s economy annually. Georgia also leads in the industry as one of the top five broiler producing …

Senator Takes Aim Again at Garden Regulations

Dan Florida, Industry News Release

After being unable to get the House to go along during the 2018 legislative session, state Senator Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, will try again to prevent local governments from regulating homeowners’ vegetable gardens. Bradley last week filed a bill (SB 82) that would largely bar regulations on vegetable gardens on residential property. The bill stems from a legal dispute between …

GOP Lawmakers Want USMCA Passed This Year

Dan Industry News Release, Trade

A dozen Republican lawmakers sent a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump, asking him to send final legislative language on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA) to Congress as soon as possible. They want Congress to be able to vote on it before Democrats take control of the House in 2019. A Bloomberg report says the legislators think the final passage …