During a visit to an Illinois farm Wednesday, President Joe Biden announced some new actions to help U.S. farmers in the wake of the Russia/Ukraine war. One of those measures includes double cropping and increasing the number of counties eligible for double cropping insurance. And earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced $250 million would be made available through a …
USDA Report Indicates Advancing Conservation Trends
We told you back in March that a new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report showed the use of no-till, crop rotations, more efficient irrigation methods and advanced technologies have climbed in recent years. The report is from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and it shows how progress was made through voluntary conservation over a 10-year period. The report was developed by USDA’s Conservation …
Deadline Nearing to Apply for EQIP Urban Agricultural Initiative in Florida
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) wants to remind Florida urban agricultural producers the deadline to apply for Urban Agriculture and Innovation Production (UAIP) projects under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is May 13th. This program offers producers technical and financial assistance to address resource concerns on their land. Approximately $500,000 in funding will be available to Florida participants through a …
USDA Accepting New or Modified Proposals for Its State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement Program
(USDA/WASHINGTON/April 18, 2022) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is welcoming new and modified proposals from conservation partners for the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) initiative, a part of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) focused on effectively managing wildlife habitat. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has expanded available practices under this initiative in response to feedback from partners. “We …
Florida Legislation Wrap Up from FFAA
Florida state lawmakers wrapped up the 2022 legislative session earlier this month and voted on several bills related to agriculture. Among them is the Nutrient Application Rates Bill, which the Florida Fertilizer & Agrichemical Association (FFAA) says provides citrus growers a pathway to use site-specific nutrient application rates developed by a Certified Crop Advisor with a 4R Nutrient Management Specialty …
Seeking Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award Nominations
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has opened the nomination period for the 2022 Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award. Nominations must be submitted to FDACS by April 15, 2022. Get the nomination form here. “Through work in soil and conservation, pesticide and nutrient management, wildlife habitat conservation, and so much more … significant environmental contributions are the backbone of Florida’s thriving agriculture …
Florida Agriculture Included in State Budget
The 2022 Florida Legislative Session wrapped up last week when lawmakers passed the $112.1 billion budget for next fiscal year. Looking at some of the ways that relates to agriculture, in her final legislative report for the session Mary Ann Hooks, director of the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Government Affairs, noted they did exceptionally well and they are thrilled to …
FDACS Seeking Nominations for Ag Environmental Leadership Award
It was announced this week that the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has opened the nomination period for the 2022 Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried said, “Through work in soil and conservation, pesticide and nutrient management, wildlife habitat conservation, and so much more, these significant environmental contributions are the backbone of Florida’s thriving agriculture industry, making a …
USDA Report Shows a Decade of Conservation Trends
According to a new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report, the use of no-till, crop rotations, more efficient irrigation methods and advanced technologies have climbed in recent years. The report, from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), demonstrates progress made through voluntary conservation over a 10-year period. The report titled, “Conservation Practices on Cultivated Cropland: A Comparison of CEAP I and CEAP …
Sterilizing Soil Helps Beat Back Bugs and Diseases on the Farm
How sterilizing soil will help beat back bugs and diseases on the farm. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Soil sterilization helps to kill off the pests and fungi that can wreak havoc on farmland. It’s especially useful if farmers have struggled with bacteria, Nematodes, viruses, and weeds. A popular method of sterilizing soil is called solarization. Solarization …