Florida Senators Back $1B Emergency Fund for DeSantis

Dan Florida, Legislative, Regulation

(TALLAHASSEE/NSF/January 12, 2022) — Florida Senators revived a proposal Wednesday to create a $1 billion fund that Gov. Ron DeSantis could use at his discretion during emergencies he declares. The Senate Appropriations Committee backed a pair of bills (SB 96 and SB 98), sponsored by Sen. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, to set up an “Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund” so the …

Ballot Initiatives Being Discussed in Florida Legislative Session

Dan Florida, Legislative, Regulation

(NSF/January 11, 2022) — Legislation filed at the state capitol last week would restrict subjects that could be included in ballot initiatives. The measure will be considered during the 2022 legislative session that starts today. The proposal comes after years of attempts by the GOP-controlled Legislature to make it harder to pass constitutional amendments through the citizens’ initiative process. Under …

Georgia Legislative Session Starts Monday

Dan Georgia, Legislative

The 2022 Georgia State Legislative Session starts January 10th and Georgia Agribusiness Council (GAC) President Will Bentley told Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman there will be a lot of issues coming up for agriculture. The Georgia State Legislature will convene next Monday and are scheduled to adjourn on March 31st. To keep track of activities during the 40-day session, go to the Georgia Agribusiness Council’s website. Sponsored …

Florida Legislative Session Starts Tuesday

Dan Cattle, Florida, Legislative

The 2022 Florida Legislative Session kicks off Tuesday, January 11th and the Florida Cattlemen’s Association (FCA) is preparing for the annual event. FCA Director of Governmental Affairs, Sam Ard, says it’s a year of reapportionment. Of course the budget is always something agriculture watches closely, but Ard is optimistic for another good year. The Florida House and Senate are scheduled to meet in a joint session …

Changes to Clean Water Rule Will Hurt Family Farms

Dan Irrigation, Regulation, Water

(WASHINGTON, January 5, 2022) — Farming members of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) will participate in a roundtable on Thursday, Jan. 6, to discuss the impact of the proposal to repeal and replace the Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR). The event is hosted by the Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Advocacy. The Biden administration recently proposed a “step …

Florida Legislative Session 2022: What’s the Latest?

Dan Florida, Legislative

Prior to the upcoming Florida legislative session, the Agriculture Communicators of Florida held a Zoom conference for their members to get the inside story of the priorities for Florida agriculture. AgNet Media’s Sabrina Halvorson took part in the event and has the story. Sponsored ContentWhat Sets Provysol® Fungicide ApartJuly 8, 2025CIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2025Nuseed Carinata Covers New GroundOctober 1, 2024

Alabama Legislative Session Kicks Off Next Tuesday

Dan Alabama, Cattle, Legislative

The 2022 Alabama Legislative Session kicks off next Tuesday, January 11th in Montgomery. And Alabama Cattlemen’s Association (ACA) Executive Vice President, Erin Beasley, said they will be watching all that takes place very closely. The upcoming Alabama Legislative Session will comprise of 30 legislative days in 105 calendar days. It is scheduled to end by April 25th. For more information, contact Beasley …

Agriculture Department and Justice Department Issue Shared Principles and Commitments to Protect Against Unfair and Anticompetitive Practices

Dan Beef, Cattle, Livestock, Regulation

(WASHINGTON, Jan. 3, 2022) — Speaking at a White House event focused on competition in agriculture, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Attorney General Merrick B. Garland expressed their shared commitment to effectively enforcing federal competition laws that protect farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural producers and growers from unfair and anticompetitive practices, including the antitrust laws and the Packers and Stockyards …

Agriculture Waits for Big Decisions on Supreme Court Cases

Dan General, Legislative, Regulation

This first week of 2022 could be a big one for several agricultural groups and stakeholders. The Supreme Court will likely hear several high-stakes cases that could affect America’s farmers and ranchers. A DTN report says the court recently distributed three of four agriculture cases scheduled for a January 7 conference. Those high-profile petitions include challenges to California’s Prop 12, …

New H-2A Labor Wages Effective Dec. 29

Dan Beef, Cattle, Citrus, Dairy, Equine, Field Crops, Forestry, Fruits, Hemp, Herbs, Industry, Labor and Immigration, Legislative, Livestock, Nursery Crops, Organic, Pecans, Pork, Poultry, Regulation, Sheep-Goats, Specialty Crops, Sugar, Vegetables

A recent issue of the Florida Citrus Mutual Triangle newsletter provided information about the wage that growers must pay H-2A labor, effective Dec. 29. H-2A workers are foreign agricultural workers who are allowed to work in the United States temporarily. In recent years, the vast majority of Florida citrus has been harvested by H-2A workers. The Employment and Training Administration …