The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking nominations to fill vacancies expiring in 2017 on the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee (FVIAC). FVIAC, administered by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, was established by USDA in 2001. Members of the committee meet up to two times a year to develop recommendations on issues affecting the U.S. produce industry. Committee members represent …
USDA Forecasts Record-High Soybean Production in 2017
U.S. farmers are expected to produce a record-high soybean crop this year, according to the Crop Production report issued by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Up 2 percent from 2016, soybean production is forecast at 4.38 billion bushels, while corn growers are expected to decrease their production by 7 percent from last year, forecast at 14.2 billion bushels. Up 7 percent …
McMillan Advises Horse Owners to Vaccinate for EEE & West Nile Virus
Agriculture & Industries Commissioner John McMillan announces that a horse has tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) by the department’s diagnostic laboratory in Auburn. The horse was presented for treatment at Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine from the neighboring state of Georgia. In addition, Mobile County Health Department (MCHD) has reported that the sentinel chickens, used to detect …
Crop Production for August-Southern Region
U.S. corn production for 2017 is forecast at 14.2 billion bushels, down 7 percent from last year. Based on conditions as of August 1, yields are expected to average 169.5 bushels per acre. Soybean production is forecast at a record high 4.38 billion bushels, up 2 percent from last year. All cotton production is forecast at 20.5 million 480-pound bales, …
Funding to Help Improve Soil Quality in Alabama
August 28 is the deadline for Alabama landowners interested in securing funding to help improve the soil quality on your land, all through a Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) project. This effort is possible thanks to a partnership between USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Alabama and the Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee. Sponsored ContentNuseed Carinata Covers New …
Florida NRCS Holding State Technical Meeting Next Week
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida will conduct a State Technical Advisory Committee meeting Tuesday, August 15 at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Doyle Conner Agriculture Building Auditorium in Gainesville. Florida State Conservationist, Russell Morgan, says the meeting is being held to assist agricultural producers in meeting their land management goals while protecting our natural resources. …
UF Scientists Work on the ‘Essence’ of Better-Tasting Tomato Juice
If you’re yearning for a better-tasting tomato juice, University of Florida scientists in their labs, working on satisfying your palette. Essence, usually extracted from a plant to add flavor or provide a scent, according to a new UF/IFAS study, can be used to improve juice flavor. Using volatile capture, UF/IFAS scientists obtained the essence from the tomatoes, said Paul Sarnoski, …
Cotton Harvest is Underway
The 2017 cotton harvest is underway, including Texas, which is the number one cotton-producing state in the nation. Cotton pickers have begun rolling across southern Texas. Farmers say early yields are good and may actually be higher than yields in 2016. In some areas across southern Texas, early reports say farmers are getting 2.5 bales of cotton on dryland acres. …
USDA Reports Preview
The August World Ag Supply and Demand Estimates will include the first USDA yield estimates of the season. The August report has historically pushed the markets up or down significantly. In January, USDA predicted the corn yield at just under 171 billion bushels. Farm Journal’s AgWeb.com says most analysts agree that Thursday’s estimate will likely come in well under the …
National Potato Council on Continued Mexican Potato Ban
A Mexican judge recently made a decision to continue the ban on importing U.S. potatoes into most of Mexico. Imports are currently allowed in land close to the U.S. – Mexican border but are prohibited from going further into the country. The NPC says the ruling ignores science and interferes with the role of the Mexican plant health regulatory authority. …