From the Florida Division of Emergency Management: TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Ten years ago today, Hurricane Charley made landfall near Port Charlotte in Southwest Florida as a Category 4 storm, making it the strongest storm since Hurricane Andrew to impact Florida. On the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Charley, Florida’s residents and visitors are reminded to have a family emergency plan and …
ADAI Clean Sweep Program Pesticide Collection Days in September
From the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries: Montgomery, AL – The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries in cooperation with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, are conducting two agricultural pesticide collection days, one to be held Wednesday, September 3rd in Baldwin County and another on Thursday, September 4th in Henry County. The ADAI Clean Sweep Program allows farmers, pesticide …
McMillan Advises Horse Owners to Vaccinate for EEE & West Nile Virus
From the Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries: MONTGOMERY, AL– Agriculture & Industries Commissioner John McMillan announces that the first positive case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) has been detected in Alabama. “This is the time of year that we are extremely vulnerable to the spread of mosquito-borne viruses and we need to protect our livestock and ourselves” stated McMillan. …
Restoring Longleaf Pine Earns Landowners Incentive Payments
From USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Florida: Private landowners can apply for incentive payments to restore longleaf pine in the Ocala region including: Alachua, Brevard, Citrus, Clay, Hernando, Lake, Levy, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Polk, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia counties. Applications are due to the Florida Forest Service by
Agricultural Producers in Florida Still Have Time to Apply for Direct Farm Ownership Loan Program
From USDA’s Farm Service Agency in Florida: (Gainesville, FL), Aug. 07, 2014 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Florida Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director, Rick Dantzler, today announced that farmers and ranchers still have time to apply for low interest 2014 loans available through FSA’s direct farm ownership program. The deadline to submit applications is Sept. 30, 2014. …
USDA Designates 3 Counties in Florida as Primary Natural Disaster Areas With Assistance to Producers in Surrounding States
From the U.S. Department of Agriculture: WASHINGTON, Aug. 6, 2014 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Escambia, Jackson and Santa Rosa counties in Florida as primary natural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by excessive rain that occurred from April 4, 2014, through May 2, 2014.
Updating Farm Bill Implementation at 6-Month Mark
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced continued progress on implementing the 2014 Farm Bill. He was pleased to report that they’ve made tremendous progress in the first six months since the Farm Bill was signed. Download Audio
New USDA Conservation Program Receives Nearly 600 Proposals
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced this week that USDA’s new Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) has drawn an overwhelming response from partners across the nation. Nearly 5,000 organizations partnered together to submit nearly 600 pre-proposals by the July deadline. Download Audio
Florida Students Win State Speech Contest
From USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Florida: Students ages 15 to 17 from Okeechobee, Manatee, Gilchrist and Jackson counties in Florida competed at the state level last Saturday in Ocala, Fla., during the annual Association of Florida Conservation District meeting. Students had won first place in their local Soil and Water District contests and then their
Longleaf Pine Restoration Efforts Continue
Associate Chief for Conservation with USDA’s Natural Resources Conversation Service, Leonard Jordan, encourages landowners who have not looked into the Longleaf Pine Initiative to do so by stopping by their local NRCS office. Download Audio