USDA and FDA Announce Key Step to Advance Collaborative Efforts to Streamline Produce Safety Requirements for Farmers

As part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s ongoing effort to make the oversight of food safety stronger and more efficient, USDA and FDA announced the alignment of the USDA Harmonized Good Agricultural Practices Audit Program (USDA H-GAP) with the requirements of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act’s (FSMA’s) Produce Safety Rule. The new step is …

FDACS Begins Efforts to Eradicate Oriental Fruit Fly

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has positively identified the presence of three Oriental fruit flies, Bactrocera dorsalis, in south Miami-Dade County. The initial fly was discovered during routine trapping, and additional flies were discovered during expanded trapping activities. The department, along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, monitors more than 56,000 fruit fly traps statewide as an …

Celebrating National Olive Day

Cathy Isom gives us a bit of history and tells us the best way of celebrating one of the world’s oldest fruits. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Celebrating National Olive Day When you think of olives, you probably wouldn’t immediately classify them as a fruit. Oh, but they are. The olive is the small, bitter-tasting fruit of …

Action Taken Against Canadian Trade Measures That Discriminate Against U.S. Wine

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer announced that the Trump Administration has requested that the World Trade Organization (WTO) establish a dispute settlement panel to examine unfair regulations governing the sale of wine in grocery stores in the Canadian province of British Columbia (BC). The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is …

Celebrating National Wine Day

Today is the day you get to pop the cork on your favorite bottle of wine and enjoy. Cathy Isom lets you know why today is a good day to celebrate with the wine you love. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Celebrating National Wine Day Every year on May 25th its NATIONAL WINE DAY. Not to be …

Celebrating National Strawberries and Cream Day

Today, you get to celebrate America’s favorite fruit. Cathy Isom lets you know why you’ll want some fresh strawberries and whip cream today. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Celebrating National Strawberries and Cream Day Today is National Strawberries and Cream Day. So if you don’t have them already, you may want to head to your local farmer’s …

Celebrating National Walnut Day

Continuing the National Holiday of foods, Cathy Isom has us recognizing a nutty holiday. That’s coming up on this Land of Ours. Celebrating National Walnut Day Every year on May 17th, America recognizes the tree nut that is not only tasty to eat on its own, but is great in baked goods and candies. Today is National Walnut Day. Rounded, …

Georgia Blueberry Growers Suffer Second Consecutive Year of Loss

Commissioner Gary W. Black hosted a conference call to connect Georgia blueberry growers and agricultural industry representatives with USDA Under-secretary Bill Northey to discuss recent loss assessments for the 2018 blueberry crop. According to University of Georgia Extension, overall losses of both highbush and rabbiteye varieties could exceed 60 percent. This would mark the second consecutive year of significant loss …