My travels through and around my childhood region of South Florida in recent months allowed me to bore into a few more angles of the algae story. Much of what the public is being told about Lake Okeechobee water and its connection to green algae in coastal waterways is simply not true. The facts remain the facts, and this issue …
ACES Presents Hurricane Michael Economic Impact Assessment
Thursday afternoon in Dothan, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) presented its findings on the damage from Hurricane Michael to the southeastern counties in the state. In addition to a discussion of the direct agricultural damage, ACES also gave an overview of the regional economic impact assessment. Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman talked with Paul Brown, Alabama Extension associate director, who …
Secretary Perdue Regarding EPA Decision on Dicamba
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement regarding the decision by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to extend the registration of dicamba for two years. The extension is for “over-the-top” use to control weeds in fields for cotton and soybean plants genetically engineered to resist dicamba. Perdue’s statement is as follows: “It is important that the EPA …
Hurricane-Ravaged Florida Farmers Wonder Who’s Listening
While much of mainstream news seems to be stuck on mid-term campaign coverage or arguing about whether words matter, thousands of rural farm families severely impacted by Hurricane Michael and other recent storms are starting to wonder if their words are even being clearly heard. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam hosted an agricultural listening session late Tuesday afternoon in Blountstown …
Funding to Increase Access to Education, Workforce Training and Health Care Opportunities in Rural Communities
Investments will help more than 4.5 million rural Americans Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced that USDA is awarding grants for 128 projects to increase access to job training (PDF, 351 KB), educational and health care services in rural areas. “Empowering rural Americans with access to services for quality of life and economic development is critical to rural prosperity,” Secretary Perdue said. “Distance …
Water Woes Become a Political Wildcard
Throughout the summer, politicians heard from Floridians angered by the latest bouts of toxic blue-green algae in the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers, along with a festering red-tide outbreak on the Gulf Coast. Protesters focused on the state’s handling of rising sea levels, a limited acknowledgement of climate change and past actions by Gov. Rick Scott such as reducing funding …
Putnam/FDACS Host Listening Session on Hurricane Michael Damage
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam opens to a packed house in Blountstown, FL late this afternoon (Tuesday), with area residents participating in a listening session hosted by his Department. Reviewing the latest information available regarding damage assessments for various crops in the region, Putnam pointed out there has been devastating damage to many crops including some that have no established …
EPA Exempting Livestock Farms from Emissions Reporting
A rule by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) exempts livestock producers from reporting emissions from their farms to state and local authorities. The move, supported by the livestock industry, won the applause of the National Pork Producers Council. NPPC President Jim Heimerl called the rule the final piece in the implementation of the FARM Act, which passed Congress earlier this …
FDA Gottlieb, Abram on FDA’s New Plan to Advance Plant, Animal Biotechnology Innovation
Innovations in plant and animal biotechnology offer tremendous opportunities for advancing public health. Promising new technologies that can edit animal and plant genomes have the potential to improve human and animal health, animal well-being, food productivity and food security. New forms of biotechnology allow modification of living organisms, such as plants or animals, in order to produce a new product, …
Central Florida UF Researchers Use Drones to Assess Hurricane Michael Damage in Panhandle
Researchers with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences recently traveled to Panhandle counties to include Gadsden, Jackson and Calhoun with their drones to assess damage after Hurricane Michael devastated the region. “This is the first time UF/IFAS scientists have used drones to determine agricultural crop damage and yield reduction,” said Jim Fletcher, a regional specialized agent …