Local Farmers Unite for Agriculture

Florida farmers, ranchers, and small business owners united as the voice of agriculture last week during the annual Field to the Hill advocacy trip in Washington, D.C., May 23-25. More than 80 Farm Bureau members representing 24 counties in the Sunshine State traveled to the nation’s capital to visit with the Florida Congressional delegation to discuss federal policy issues such …

Florida Farmers Turn Out for Putnam in Large Numbers

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam made his bid for the governor’s office official last week, following up the announcement from his hometown of Bartow with a whirlwind bus tour of the state from one end to the other. I caught up with Putnam at the end of his final tour stop at a farm in north-central Florida for a sit …

Alabama Lawmakers Pass Several Ag Bills

The 2017 Alabama legislative session wrapped up last Friday, and Leigha Cauthen with the Alabama Agribusiness Council says several ag bills saw passage this session.   And Leigha also wants to remind everyone about the Alabama Agribusiness Council’s annual meeting coming up June 25-27 in Orange Beach. Sponsored ContentCattle Producers Proud of Efforts Funded Through the Florida Cattle Enhancement BoardMay …

Alabama Legislature Heads into Final Week

Next week the Alabama Legislature will head into their final full week, as only four days remain in the 2017 session. Leigha Cauthen with the Alabama Agribusiness Council has an update on what transpired this past week. Sponsored ContentCattle Producers Proud of Efforts Funded Through the Florida Cattle Enhancement BoardMay 29, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Funding Crucial For Forage DevelopmentMay …

Florida Ag Commissioner Officially Announces Run for Governor

Among a large crowd of state agriculture leaders, grassroots producers and others at the courthouse in his hometown of Bartow, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam made official today his expected bid for governor.   Some observers in Florida’s agriculture industry note today’s historical perspective, in that Florida is now third in population in the United States and urbanizing. Therefore, it …

Alabama Cattlemen attend Legislative Session

The Alabama Cattlemen’s Association held their spring quarterly Board of Directors meeting Tuesday in Montgomery. This was the final board meeting for outgoing ACA Executive Vice President, Dr. Billy Powell, as he will officially retire from that position on June 30th. Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman talked with him.   Sponsored ContentCattle Producers Proud of Efforts Funded Through the Florida Cattle …

Roberts Suggests no New Farm Bill Funding

Leadership of the Senate Agriculture Committee indicated there would be no additional money to spend in the next farm bill while touting the cost savings from the most recent farm bill. During a farm bill field hearing in Michigan over the weekend, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts said: “The reality is we are going to have to do more …

Changes Needed in Farm Bill Safety Net Outlined at Senate Hearing

Dairy farmers in Michigan and across the nation need federal lawmakers to revise the safety net created in the 2014 Farm Bill to provide them adequate risk management protection, according to a dairy farmer from eastern Michigan who testified in Frankenmuth on Saturday at a Senate hearing. Darrin Siemen of Harbor Beach, Mich., told a Senate Agriculture Committee field hearing …

Florida Lawmakers to Vote on Budget Today

Florida Lawmakers did close on the state’s budget deal last Wednesday, but it wasn’t until Friday afternoon that it was finally released. But that was good enough to allow time for the 72-hour budget “cooling off” period required by the Constitution so the vote can take place this afternoon on what should be the final day of the 2017 Florida …