Nikki Fried was sworn in last week as state agriculture commissioner, becoming the first woman elected to run the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. She also is the only Democrat holding statewide office and the first Democrat on the state Cabinet in eight years. Fried is an attorney from Fort Lauderdale who was a student-body president at the …
Navigating the H-2A Guest Worker Program
U.S. farmers and ranchers discussed the current state of regulations governing the farm labor market and efforts to navigate it, at a workshop during the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 100th Annual Convention. The H-2A visa program has experienced massive growth over the past decade, with the number of visas being issued to temporary workers rising 500 percent. Still, demand is …
Notice of Investigation and Product Withdrawal Related to Cattle Deaths
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services this week received multiple reports related to acute deaths in cattle. These deaths are being investigated by both the Division of Agricultural Environmental Services and the Division of Animal Industry. Local law enforcement agencies and veterinarians have also been involved in the ongoing investigation. While the specific cause has not yet been …
Applying Performance Data for Bull Selection
On Tuesday, January 15th Understanding and Applying Performance Data for Bull Selection will be presented at the Washington County Agricultural Center, in Chipley. The primary goal of this class is to help commercial cattlemen decipher all of the performance data available and develop a practical plan for utilizing these resources when selecting bulls for their own operations.The catalog form the Florida Bull Test …
Lawmakers Eye ‘Long, Long Recovery’ from Hurricane
Hurricane Michael, which pummeled 10 Panhandle counties and spurred evacuation orders for 375,000 Floridians in October, left nearly seven times the debris of Hurricane Irma, which barreled across 45 counties in 2017. And in the three months since Michael came ashore at Mexico Beach, debris continues to be picked up, more than 102,000 people have registered for assistance, and 16 …
Perdue Applauds USDA’s 2018 Accomplishments
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue applauded the accomplishments made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) over the past year. USDA has continued enacting President Trump’s goals of regulatory reform, streamlining government and refocusing USDA to be customer oriented. “In 2018 we have fought for American farmers, ranchers and producers by delivering new and improved trade deals like USMCA …
USDA to Gauge Financial Well-Being of Farmers and Ranchers
Beginning in late December, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will spend several months gathering information about farm economics and production practices from farmers and ranchers across Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, as the agency conducts the third and final phase of the 2018 Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS). “ARMS is the only survey that …
FDACS Winning Fight Against Destructive, Disease-Carrying Snail
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam announced that more than 168,000 Giant African Land Snails (GALS) have been eliminated in Florida since the invasive snail was discovered in Miami-Dade County in 2011. In addition, due to the success of the program, the department has decommissioned two additional core areas, two of the largest is the state, where snails were …
USDA Designates 76 Georgia Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas
Emergency Support to Producers in Surrounding Counties/Border States Also Available Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue designated 76 Georgia counties as primary natural disaster areas. Producers who suffered losses due to Hurricane Michael that occurred Oct. 9 through Oct. 11, 2018, may be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans. The counties in the primary damaged area …
Farm Bill Removes Hemp as Controlled Substance
On Dec. 12, Congress passed the 2018 Agriculture and Nutrition Act, better known as the farm bill, which is awaiting President Trump’s signature. The important legislation amends the classification of hemp as a Schedule I drug. This legislation defines hemp as all parts of the plant less than 0.3% THC, including derivatives, extracts and cannabinoids. Hemp is now deemed an agricultural …