(NSF) – Farm workers are pushing back after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said clusters of “overwhelmingly Hispanic” day laborers and agriculture workers are the source for Florida’s recent surge in coronavirus cases. The Republican governor told reporters on Tuesday that migrant workers and Hispanic construction workers have been testing positive for COVID-19, in part, because of cramped living and working …
USDA Expands Farmers.gov Features to Manage Conservation Activities
New self-service features on farmers.gov will help farmers and ranchers manage their conservation activities online and request assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Producers can access these conservation features by desktop computer, tablet or phone. They can now: View, download and e-sign documents; Request conservation assistance; Reference technical terms and submit questions; Access information …
Farmworkers: DeSantis’ Remarks ‘Shameful’
Farm workers are pushing back after Gov. Ron DeSantis said clusters of “overwhelmingly Hispanic” day laborers and agriculture workers are the source for Florida’s recent surge in coronavirus cases. The Republican governor told reporters on Tuesday that migrant workers and Hispanic construction workers have been testing positive for COVID-19, in part, because of cramped living and working conditions. “Some of …
Secretary Perdue Announces Modernization Blueprint for the USDA Forest Service
(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued a memorandum to Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen providing direction that will serve as a blueprint to help modernize the agency’s systems and approaches to ensure national forests and grasslands continue to meet the needs of the American people. “Under this administration, the Forest Service has sold more timber than …
Growing Climate Solutions Act Promotes Farmer Engagement with Carbon Market
The bipartisan Growing Climate Solutions Act that was recently introduced is aimed at addressing climate change concerns by supporting more participation in carbon markets. The bill would establish a certification program to be administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide more efficiency and transparency to the process of carbon trading. Several agricultural industry groups including the American …
Commissioner Fried Applauds Cabinet Approval of Conservation and Aquaculture Projects
Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, the Florida Cabinet approved a Florida Forever land acquisition project in Franklin County and Wakulla County and an aquaculture lease project in Gulf County. These projects will help support Florida’s aquaculture industry, which has suffered massive sales decreases due to COVID-19, and will provide important conservation protections for natural lands and wildlife in the Panhandle area. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is the state’s lead …
American Farmland Trust Releases Farmland Report
Millions of acres of America’s agricultural land were developed or converted to uses that threaten farming between 2001 and 2016, according to American Farmland Trust. The organization this week released a report on U.S. farmland. The report’s Agricultural Land Protection Scorecard is the first state-by-state analysis of policies that respond to the development threats to farmland, showing that every state …
Georgia NRCS Seeking Proposals by May 15
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Georgia is requesting proposals to assist with implementing key resource priorities. Conservation minded organizations who can enhance conservation planning technical assistance for pollinator habitat, grazing and soil health, as well as program delivery are encouraged to submit their proposals by 11:59 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), May 15, …
Florida to Receive $23 Million in Aquaculture and Fisheries Assistance via CARES Act Stimulus
Tallahassee, Fla. – The U.S. Department of Commerce has announced the allocation of $300 million in federal assistance for fisheries provided by the CARES Act stimulus package. These funds will be available for coastal and marine fishery participants negatively affected by COVID–19. Florida will receive $23.6 million of this funding to aid the state’s commercial fishing and aquaculture industries. The Florida Department of …
Georgia Produce Safety Questions Still Being Answered
During this time of COVID-19, the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) wants growers to know while they are not providing On Farm Readiness Reviews (OFRR) right now, they can still help. Produce Safety Education and Outreach Coordinator Maggie Brown told Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman they are available to answer any questions. Maggie noted that while we are all still at …