Washington, D.C. (USDA) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement on the Department of Labor’s proposed rule to modernize the H-2A program to reflect stakeholder concerns and improve access to a legal source of agricultural labor: “President Trump once again shows his commitment to helping America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers continue to be the most productive …
VSC Expo Seminar Schedule Now Available
Growers seeking the latest information and research to help make them successful need look no further than the 2019 Vegetable and Specialty Crop Expo (VSC Expo) seminar program. Presented by experts from the University of Florida and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the VSC Expo seminars will explore the best production practices and upcoming threats and trends facing the industry. …
Industry Reaction EPA Approval of Sulfoxaflor Use
Source: National Cotton Council? MEMPHIS, Tenn. (NCC) – The National Cotton Council (NCC) is grateful for EPA’s decision granting use on cotton of sulfoxaflor (commercially known as Transform©) – a uniquely designed insecticide that targets piercing/sucking insect pests such as aphids and plant bugs. “We appreciate EPA’s decision to make sulfoxaflor available for use on cotton,” said NCC Chairman Mike …
Northeast Florida Farms Test ‘Eyes in the Ground’ Through UF Program
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (UF/IFAS) — Farming is a business of uncertainty. Through droughts and downpours, generations of Florida farmers have continued to till the land and contribute to a multibillion-dollar industry for the state. But agricultural innovations aim to minimize that uncertainty, and among the technological advances working to improve farmers’ crop yields are soil moisture sensors, which a University of …
ADAI Accepting Applications for Temporary Employment during 2019 Peanut Harvest
MONTGOMERY (ADAI) — The Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries (ADAI) will be accepting applications and conducting interviews for temporary employment between the hours of 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM on the dates and at the locations listed below. Applications are only accepted by applicants that attend one of the following interview sessions. August 9th: Andalusia Public Library – 212 …
Dale County, Alabama, Designated as a Primary Natural Disaster Area
Emergency Support to Producers in Surrounding Counties Also Available WASHINGTON (USDA/FSA) — Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue designated Dale County, Alabama, as a primary natural disaster area. Producers who suffered losses caused significant rainfall, wind and flooding as a result of Hurricane Michael, that occurred Oct. 10-11, 2018, may be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) …
New Florida Laws Take Effect
Florida’s record $90.98 billion spending plan for next fiscal year and more than 100 new laws officially hits the books July 1, 2019. According to the News Service of Florida, the new laws passed by the Legislature this spring and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, deal with a variety of issues. Items of interest to agriculture in the state include: …
Georgia Hemp Production Update
We are hearing more and more about hemp production and what is taking place in various states. In Georgia, the “Hemp Farming Act” requires the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) to promulgate rules regulating hemp growers and processors in the state and submit its plan to USDA for approval. According to the GDA, they are currently in the process of …
2019 Field Day: New Technology and Research
(Sunbelt Ag Expo) — The 2019 Sunbelt Ag Expo Field Day is July 25, and farmers are invited to come and get practical information from the region’s top agricultural scientists about the newest technologies farmers can use to improve their operations. The half-day event will take place at the 600-acre Darrell Williams Research Farm, located at the Expo show site …
Perdue Says Farmers Are “A Casualty” in Trade War
(NAFB) — Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue acknowledged in an interview earlier this week that farmers are “casualties” in President Trump’s trade war with China. Perdue told CNN he didn’t think a trade deal was likely this weekend when Trump and Chinese President Xi meet in Japan. He’s now hoping a deal can be reached by the end of this …