Commissioner Nikki Fried Appoints Holly Bell as Director of Cannabis

Dan Florida, Industry News Release, Specialty Crops

Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried announced her appointment of Holly Bell as the Director of Cannabis. Bell’s selection comes after a national search and interviews with multiple finalists for the position. In her role as Director of Cannabis, Bell will oversee the development of rules, work directly with scientific experts, and ensure Commissioner Fried’s vision for cannabis in Florida continues moving forward and now sells more and …

Industrial hemp a featured topic at UF/IFAS ag policy conference Feb. 26 in Balm

Dan Florida, Industry News Release, Specialty Crops

Industrial hemp may soon be a financially significant crop in Florida, and an expert with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences will discuss some of the challenges and opportunities related to this fledgling industry at the fourth annual Florida Agricultural Policy Outlook Conference in Balm. The conference happens 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26 …

Gardeners Preserving with a Pressure Canner

Dan This Land of Ours, Vegetables

We all have had this issue. What to do with all of the vegetables our garden produces. Cathy Isom explains why home gardeners should consider investing in a pressure canner.  That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.  If you’re as diligent about preserving your harvest as you are about growing it, you know that a pressure canner is an …

New Crops Proposed After Michael Devastation

Dan Florida, Industry News Release, Specialty Crops

Hemp and hops are being promoted among alternatives for crops wiped out by Hurricane Michael in the eastern Panhandle. Glen Aiken, director of the University of Florida’s North Florida Research and Education Center, said Monday the need for alternatives has grown as farmers in an eight-county region suffered most of the estimated $1.5 billion hit to the state’s agriculture industry …

Veggies for Raised Garden Beds

Dan This Land of Ours, Vegetables

It is time to be thinking about the Spring garden. Cathy Isom tells us about some of the best veggies to grow in raised garden beds. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Raised garden beds aren’t just the prettiest way to grow your veggies: they’re also a fantastic opportunity to improve your garden’s yield, deal with problematic soil, …