First Florida Hemp Conference Next Month

The inaugural Florida Industrial Hemp Conference 2019 (FIHCE 2019) will be held November 3-5 in Orlando. FIHCE 2019 is a networking and educational event designed to foster the development of an industrial hemp industry in Florida. Gene Jones, co-founder of the conference, discusses what topics will be covered. More of this story can be found at AgWired.com. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding …

ADAI Now Accepting Applications for the 2020 Industrial Hemp Program

MONTGOMERY, AL (ADAI-Oct. 10, 2019) — The Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries (ADAI) is now accepting hemp applications from eligible growers, processors/handlers, and universities. The application period began October 7, 2019, and the final day to apply is November 14, 2019. In 2016, the Alabama Legislature passed the Alabama Industrial Hemp Research Program Act, Section 2-8-380 Code of Alabama …

Producers Invited to Attend Education Meetings

The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agricultural economists and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) will jointly hold producer meetings throughout Georgia October 8-11. The meetings will address three major government support programs including disaster assistance, trade assistance and farm safety-net programs. Tyron Spearman has more details. Below are the meeting dates, times and locations: Oct. …

THC Testing Still a Challenge for Hemp Farmers

(NAFB) — The hype over hemp sparked a rush of enthusiasm from farmers looking to add it to their crop rotations after it was legalized in the 2018 Farm Bill. Stuck in a declining farm economy, Politico says hemp offers a new source of income for farmers who’ve been hit from all sides by a trade war with China, a …

Ag Groups Respond to Trump Administration Announcement Upholding the RFS

National Corn Growers Association (NCGA-Oct. 4, 2019) — The National Corn Growers Association welcomed an announcement from President Trump directing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to follow the letter of the law and keep the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) whole. The RFS and corn farmers have repeatedly come under attack from big oil and the EPA, including the most recent …

Trump Delivers on a Key Promise to American Farmers

WASHINGTON, (USDA-October 4, 2019) — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue issued the following statements after President Donald J. Trump successfully negotiated an agreement on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS): “President Trump’s leadership has led to an agreement that continues to promote domestic ethanol and biodiesel production, supporting our …

Scientists Release First Map of Areas Suitable for Spotted Lanternfly Establishment in U.S. and World

WAPATO, WASHINGTON (USDA/ARS-October 3, 2019) — A map identifying the areas suitable for establishment of the spotted lanternfly (SLF) in the United States and other countries has been published in the Journal of Economic Entomology by Agricultural Research Service scientists. Areas in the United States that have been identified as possible spotted lanternfly habitat. The SLF, originally from China, has spread to Korea …

Gov. DeSantis Announces Early Termination of the Florida Crystals Lease on the STA Footprint of Lands Needed for Construction of the EAA Reservoir

Lease Termination is an Important Step in Meeting the Expedited Construction Schedule for the Reservoir Project Tallahassee, FL (Office of FL Gov. Ron DeSantis-Oct. 3, 2019)— Governor Ron DeSantis, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced the early termination of the Florida Crystals Lease for the stormwater treatment area (STA) component …

USDA Invests $11M In Research That Will Support Specialty Crop Farmers

WASHINGTON (USDA-Oct. 3, 2019) — U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary Scott Hutchins announced that the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has invested $11 million in research that will support specialty crop farmers. “This collaborative public-private research effort will focus on applying innovative solutions to pest management problems that often are otherwise not available to specialty …