“Many of the issues we see with pesticide misapplications really come down to communication. Essentially an applicator not necessarily knowing what a beekeeper is doing and visa-versa,” Bayer Industry Affairs Lead Frank Wong said in the latest episode of the BeSure! campaign from the Growing Matters Coalition. The episode details the importance of growers and beekeepers being on the same page …
Growing Matters: BeSure About Applications by Following Labels
The Growing Matters Coalition is kicking off its 2021 BeSure campaign that reinforces practical stewardship practices. “(The campaign) is to remind growers and applicators of some simple steps that they can take to ensure pesticides don’t harm pollinators and other wildlife,” Valent USA Sustainability & Stewardship Manager Leslie Garcia said. One of the ways the industry can achieve this is by remembering …
Agronomy Week is April 5-9
Agronomy Week runs today Monday, April 5 through Friday, April 9. It’s a week to salute agronomic professionals who play a key role in supporting farmer success, and it is hosted for the fifth consecutive year by the DEKALB, Asgrow, and Deltapine brands. The week-long event this year features a new FFA scholarship program, culminating in an exciting live television …
After Identifying Gaps in Previous Aid, USDA Announces ‘Pandemic Assistance for Producers’ to Distribute Resources More Equitably
USDA Reopens Program Sign-Up to a Larger Share of Producers with Plans to Expand Outreach and New Programming (USDA/FSA) — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA is establishing new programs and efforts to bring financial assistance to farmers, ranchers, and producers who felt the impact of COVID-19 market disruptions. The new initiative—USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers—will reach a broader set of …
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried: 30-Day FDACS Legislative Update
(FDACS) — This is the halfway mark of Florida’s 60-day annual legislative session. Below, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services offer an update of the department’s priority legislation for the 2021 legislative session. “I’m proud of our common-sense, bipartisan legislative priorities this year, which include fighting child and family hunger, supporting Florida’s farmers, major climate and energy …
Deltapine Cotton Varieties Available for Southeast Growers
Each year, some growers wait for the release of the USDA Prospective Plantings report before making a final decision as to how many acres of each crop they will plant that season. As cotton growers prepare for the 2021 crop, another factor many have been watching is the price they’ll receive. Keylon Gholston, cotton product manager for Deltapine, notes cotton prices have been up and they …
Florida Senate Proposes Money for Everglades, Sea Level Rise
(NSF) — Gov. Ron DeSantis would get more than he requested for Everglades restoration and water projects in the coming year under an initial Senate budget proposal that also would set up a grant program to address sea-level rise. In addition, the Senate is proposing an increase in money for the state’s springs, a reduction to the Florida Forever conservation …
Florida Rancher Jim Strickland: Combat Climate Change Through Agriculture
(FDACS) — Sixth-generation Florida rancher Jim Strickland recently published an opinion piece on the important role Florida’s ranches play in combating climate change and preventing over-development. The op-ed was published in The Invading Sea, a collaboration of 25 Florida daily newspapers and WLRN Public Media reporting on climate change and environmental issues, and a project of the Florida Climate Reporting Network. Strickland is the owner …
Application Deadline Extended for the Quality Loss Adjustment Program
(USDA/FSA) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending the deadline from March 5 to April 9 for agricultural producers to apply for the Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) Program because of recent winter storms and some clarifications to program rules. This program assists producer who suffered crop quality losses due to qualifying 2018 and 2019 natural disasters. “Because of …
The Threat of Wildfires Remains from Fallen Timber
(NSF) — State Forester Erin Albury warned Thursday that the threat of wildfires remains from fallen timber still strewn across areas of Northwest Florida decimated by Hurricane Michael more than two years ago. Albury cautioned residents in the region to keep property clear of debris as the volume of timber left by the Oct. 10, 2018, storm will continue to …