Week five of the Florida Legislative Session saw various issues discussed once again, but there is a bill that has been of interest to some in agriculture across the state. Florida Cattlemen’s Association (FCA) Director of Governmental Affairs, Sam Ard, explains what the bill is about and where it currently stands. The 60 day Florida Legislative session will run until March 11th. Sponsored ContentCIR …
New Records for Beef Exports, New High for Pork Export Values
According to year-end data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), U.S. beef exports in 2021 exceeded previous volume and value records surpassing $10 billion for the first time. That same reports notes while pork exports finished slightly below the record volume reached in 2020, they did set a new value record topping $8 billion …
USDA-NASS Reports 2 Percent Drop in Sheep Inventory
Increased slaughter of mature sheep in 2021, thanks to drought and high mature ewe slaughter prices, played a role in a 2 percent decrease in the American sheep inventory as reported by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). As of Jan. 1, the American sheep and lamb inventory totaled 5.07 million head. Breeding sheep inventory was 3.71 million head, down 2 …
Growers Discuss Priorities for 2023 Farm Bill
The 2018 Farm Bill is set to expire in 2023, so preparations are underway to craft the behemoth legislation into law sometime next year. However, it is common for negotiations to extend into the following year. Whether the new farm bill is passed in 2023 or 2024, there’s a lot of work ahead. The farm bill was the focus of …
Secretary of Transportation on HOS Regulations for Livestock Haulers
Back in late November of last year, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced they had extended the waiver for commercial truckers from the Federal Hours of Service (HOS) regulation until Feb. 28, 2022. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in March 2020 the FMCSA included livestock haulers in an initial emergency declaration that provided an exemption from the HOS regulation for …
Record Prices for Sheep & Lamb
According to a report from the Livestock Marketing Information Center (LMIC), the sheep and lamb industry is shaping up to have a record setting year for prices in 2021. This is news that pleases the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI). Feeder lamb prices have tracked above 2020 levels every week this year except for one week back in March. In February, a record price was …
ASI Convention Registration Deadlines Approaching
The deadline for the early bird registration discount for the 2022 American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) Annual Convention is Dec. 31. The convention will be held January 19-22, 2022, at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, and those wanting to attend also need to book hotel rooms by Dec. 29 to receive the guaranteed room rates. The ASI Annual Convention is …
A Cowboy’s Christmas Prayer
As we celebrate Christmas this year, Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman brings back an old favorite, “A Cowboy’s Christmas Prayer” written by S. Omar Barker. A COWBOY’S CHRISTMAS PRAYERby S. Omar Barker (1895-1985) I ain’t much good at prayin’,and You may not know me, Lord —For I ain’t much seen in churches,where they preach Thy Holy Word.But you may have observed …
New H-2A Labor Wages Effective Dec. 29
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 …
Port Problems Plague Producers
The ongoing supply-chain crisis is a big headache to businesses and consumers alike, with no end in sight for the immediate future. Perishable products are particularly at risk, as even a week or two delay can affect product quality. The port delays that caused the supply-chain crisis began on the West Coast with labor shortages due to the pandemic. These …