USDA Under Secretary Knight Visits FL Citrus Monday Feb 5

Gary Cooper Citrus, Florida, Specialty Crops, Sugar, Vegetables

In this report, USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Bruce Knight discusses his meetings scheduled for Monday Feb 5 in Winter Garden with Florida citrus growers and other ag industry leaders. The meeting gets underway at 2:00 p. m. at Little Hall, 31 West Garden Ave in Newton Park, Winter Garden FL. Knight is expected to tour area …

Nutrition Programs Could Get More Produce

Randall Weiseman General, Specialty Crops, Vegetables

Administration’s farm bill proposals include more fruits and vegetables in nutrition and food assistance programs. Report (1:00 wma) Sponsored ContentFCEB Recurring Funding Provides Opportunity for Longer Term Research ProjectsOctober 10, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Advances Forage ResearchOctober 3, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Acts As Catalyst For Timely ResearchSeptember 26, 2025

More Detail on Specialty Crop Proposals

Randall Weiseman Specialty Crops, Vegetables

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns is hoping specialty crop producers will understand the need to allow the planting of fruits and vegetables on program crop acreage as the administration has proposed for the 2007 Farm Bill. I interviewed the secretary yesterday right after he announced the proposals. Report (2:00 wma) Sponsored ContentFCEB Recurring Funding Provides Opportunity for Longer Term Research ProjectsOctober …

USDA Releases Farm Bill Proposals

Randall Weiseman Cotton, General, Specialty Crops, USDA-NRCS, Vegetables

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns Wednesday unveiled the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2007 farm bill proposals. The more than 65 proposals correspond to the 2002 farm bill titles with additional special focus areas, including specialty crops, beginning farmers and ranchers, and socially disadvantaged producers. Details are available at www.usda.gov/farmbill. Among the proposals are payment limitations and increased conservation funding. Conservation Report …

Applications Being Accepted For Specialty Crop Program

Randall Weiseman Specialty Crops, Vegetables

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is accepting applications until Feb. 12 for the Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops program which helps open, retain and expand markets for U.S. specialty crops. More information can be found at fas.usda.gov. Report (1:00 wma) Sponsored ContentFCEB Recurring Funding Provides Opportunity for Longer Term Research ProjectsOctober 10, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Advances Forage ResearchOctober 3, …

Orange Cauliflower Research

Randall Weiseman Vegetables

The discovery of a lone orange cauliflower in a field of the ordinary white variety 30 years ago is helping scientists isolate the beneficial beta carotene gene which provides Vitamin A. Report (1:00 wma) Sponsored ContentFCEB Recurring Funding Provides Opportunity for Longer Term Research ProjectsOctober 10, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Advances Forage ResearchOctober 3, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Acts As …

Fresh From Florida 200

Randall Weiseman Florida, Specialty Crops, Vegetables

Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson will serve as Grand Marshall of the “Fresh from Florida 200,” a 200-mile Grand Am KONI Challenge Series race Friday, January 26, at Daytona International Speedway. The Commissioner will be riding in a specially designed “Fresh from Florida” vehicle that will accompany the pace car to kick off the event. Get …

Farm Bill Will Depend on Budget

Randall Weiseman General, Specialty Crops, Vegetables

Whether or not specialty crops will get more attention in the new Farm Bill will largely be determined by the budget, according to Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association lobbyist Bob Redding who spoke at the recent Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference. Report (1:30 wma) Sponsored ContentFCEB Recurring Funding Provides Opportunity for Longer Term Research ProjectsOctober 10, 2025Florida Cattle …

Antioxidants and Cardiovascular Health

Randall Weiseman General, Specialty Crops

USDA research is studying how the antioxidant properties in strawberries might affect inflammatory cardiovascular diseases in obese people. Report (:45 wma) Sponsored ContentFCEB Recurring Funding Provides Opportunity for Longer Term Research ProjectsOctober 10, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Advances Forage ResearchOctober 3, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Acts As Catalyst For Timely ResearchSeptember 26, 2025

USDA Rules in Favor of UglyRipes

Randall Weiseman Florida, General, Specialty Crops, Vegetables

With the popularity of the TV show Ugly Betty, some are saying that ugly is the new beautiful – something the producers of UglyRipe tomatoes have been trying to tell the Florida Tomato Committee for the past three years. Now the US Department of Agriculture has intervened on behalf of the unattractive but tasty tomatoes marketed by Santa Sweets of …