A new coalition of agriculture groups with a new focus. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Several industry associations launched the Ag Bioeconomy Coalition just days ago, to advance federal policy initiatives that foster growth toward a circular economy based on innovative products derived from agricultural commodities. Encompassing a broad range of technologies, the ag bioeconomy uses renewable, …
NASDA Announces Priorities for the 2023 Farm Bill
State agriculture officials announced their priorities for the upcoming 2023 Farm Bill discussion. The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) will direct its policy advocacy efforts regarding the bill towards ten specific policy areas. During the hybrid 2022 NASDA Winter Policy Conference last week, members laid the foundation for those priorities. They want to focus attention on agriculture …
Gas Plant is an Old School Favorite to the Garden
Adding an old school favorite to your garden that prefers to be left alone once it’s in the ground. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Gas plant is an upright, clump-forming perennial that blooms in late spring to early summer. It does well in northern climates with cool nights and it tolerates light shade. Gas plant likes to …
Commissioner Fried / FDACS Submit 2022-23 Legislative Budget Request
(Tallahassee, FL/Sept. 20, 2021-FDACS) — Last week, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) submitted the department’s Legislative Budget Request (LBR) for Fiscal Year 2022-2023. “Despite the challenges of operating through a continuing pandemic, our core mission remains the same: to safeguard the public and support Florida agriculture. Our budget priorities are solutions-oriented and critical not only to our …
Useful Herb Good in the Kitchen, Good for the Garden
The super useful herb that’s good in the kitchen and good for your garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Stinging Nettle is known to attract tons of beneficial insects, such as butterflies, is tasty in the kitchen, and has several proven medicinal uses. It’s a relative of mint plants, so it shares the same invasive quality. If …
New CBD Comes From Orange Peels
The company Peels has launched a CBD oil made from orange peels. Peels was founded by National Football League veteran Chris Hetherington, who serves as the company’s chief executive officer. Peels’ process of deriving CBD from orange peels is called cyclic terpene assembly, a proprietary technique for combining organic molecules. This process combines terpenes from orange peels with olivetol, a naturally …
Plant-Based Sources to Tap into for Vitamin D
The best plant sources of Vitamin D. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Vitamin D is one of the most important vitamins for our immune systems, but is notoriously difficult to find in plant-based foods. Unfortunately, there just aren’t enough vegetables, roots, grains, or fruits that contain enough D. But, there are a few plant-based sources that you can …
Pate Seeks Re-election as Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture & Industries
Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture & Industries Rick Pate announced Tuesday that he will seek re-election as the GOP nominee for Commissioner of Agriculture & Industries in 2022. Pate is currently serving his first term in that position. Thus far during his term, the Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries (ADAI) has implemented the statewide branding program “Sweet Grown Alabama”, increased funding …
Commissioner Nikki Fried & FDACS Submit Public Comment on USDA Climate-Smart Agriculture Strategy
Tallahassee, Fla. – Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services submitted formal public comment on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s implementation of the President’s Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. As part of the Executive Order, the USDA was directed to collect stakeholder input on a climate-smart agriculture and forestry strategy. Commissioner Fried …
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 …