Here at Southeast AgNet we are immensely proud of a guy who I’ve referred to over the years as the “grandaddy of Southeast AgNet.” As a college communications intern at Florida Farm Bureau in the late 1970’s I had the chance to go to Moultrie, Georgia to meet Everett Griner in his barnloft studio overlooking a cotton field. He introduced …
Sparks Cuts Department Spending, Not Services
Commissioner Ron Sparks stated today that the Department of Agriculture & Industries has drastically cut spending over the last several months in anticipation of Governor Bob Riley’s announcement of proration and resulting cutbacks for the State of Alabama. Sparks said that over the last year the Department has cut costs by limiting new hires, utilizing a 4-day work week for …
John Deere Drive Green Event Underway
John Deere’s program designed to give rural property owners, agricultural producers and other interested consumers a chance to operate and ask questions about the latest models of utility and compact utility tractors is underway across Florida. Their Drive Green Program includes special equipment displays and ride-and-drives at 4 locations across the state this week. One took place in Middleberg Wednesday …
USDA/APHIS Efforts to Communicate to the Masses re HLB
Each year in November we make the trip to Kansas City to the annual meeting of the National Assoc of Farm Broadcasters (NAFB), of which we are the only member from Florida. It is a must attend for the 150 or so of us left doing agriculture news via the broadcast media. Southeast AgNet, by the way, broadcast multiple daily …
FL Commissioner’s Spotlight on Scrapie Rule
This week’s Commissioner’s Spotlight from Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson is about a new rule regulating the movement of sheep and goats within the state, designed to help stop the spread of Scrapie, a fatal, degenerative disease of the nervous system of those animals. For more information about the rule, click Scrapie Rule Info. To view a copy of the …
FARM BILL IMPLEMENTATION – Progress as of October 2008
This just in from USDA… Within weeks of the late June enactment of the Farm Bill, USDA began delivering program benefits for 2008 and will deliver additional program benefits in 2009. The 2008 Farm Bill has 15 titles — and more than 600 provisions: 50 percent more than the 2002 Farm Bill. Sponsored ContentNuseed Carinata Covers New GroundAugust 29, 2024CIR …
John Deere Introduces New Compact Tractors for Market Niches
In Sarasota, Florida this week John Deere officials displayed hundreds of tractors, many of them new models to become available in 2009, many of them geared toward the ‘lifestyle’ rural crowd and folks involved in things like citrus, nursery, vineyards and other agriculture operations. According to John Deere representatives on hand for the event, the new models coupled with the …
USDA To Launch Public Access Incentive for Conservation Reserve
RENO, Nev., Oct. 3, 2008 – Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer today said that USDA would fully implement President George W. Bush’s directive to offer incentives to farmers and ranchers for opening up their land in the Conservation Reserve Program to the public for hunting, fishing, bird watching and other recreational activities. Schafer made the announcement at the White House Conference …
AL Ag Commissioner Heads NASDA
Alabama Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks was elected President of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) during their semi-annual meeting last week. Listen to report here: Listen to interview by Randall Weiseman with Commissioner Sparks: Sponsored ContentNuseed Carinata Covers New GroundAugust 29, 2024CIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2024TriEst Ag Group: Partners in ProfitabilityApril 1, 2024
Growers Urged to Comment on Soil Fumigant Regs
The Florida Farm Bureau Federation is urging Florida growers to submit comments to the Environmental Protection Agency requesting the agency reevaluate its proposed Reregistration Eligibility Decisions for several important soil fumigants. The EPA has extended the comment period through Oct. 30. FFBF Agricultural Policy Division assistant director Joshua Craft talks about why this is so important and how growers can …