(USDA/FSA/October 27, 2021) — This Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation …
Commissioner Nikki Fried on TS Elsa Secretarial Disaster Designation for Three Florida Counties
(Tallahassee, FL/October 20, 2021) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has informed Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) that it has granted a Secretarial disaster designation in several counties in Georgia and Florida due to losses caused by Tropical Storm Elsa, excessive wind, and excessive rainfall that occurred on July 7, 2021. With this designation, impacted producers …
Vilsack on State of the Livestock Industry
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently expressed to lawmakers his views on the state of the livestock industry and explained USDA efforts to address challenges. Rod Bain reports. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Critical Funding To Enhance Brahman GeneticsApril 24, 2026Strong Relationship Exists Between the Florida Cattle Enhancement Board and UF-IFASApril 17, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding For Quicker …
2021 Variety Trial Results Available for Alabama Producers
While harvest is underway in Alabama, believe it or not variety trial results are already in, and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) notes it is time for producers to begin making crop variety decisions for the 2022 planting season. ACES researchers, in partnership with the Auburn University College of Agriculture and the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station (AAES), have spent much of …
Educational Exploration: GPC Partnering with GPB for Special Event
By Clint Thompson The Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) is partnering with Georgia Public Broadcasting to educate students about agriculture and peanuts, the official state crop of Georgia. The two organizations are producing a Live event on Thursday, Sept. 30 at 10 a.m. at the Georgia Peanut Commission office in Tifton, Georgia. It is called Georgia Peanuts: Live Exploration in partnership …
Excitement Surrounds Return of Sunbelt Expo
By Clint Thompson The Sunbelt Ag Expo is less than a month away. After last year’s cancellation amid the onset of COVID-19, growers, industry leaders and vendors are excited to return to the event, scheduled for Oct. 19-21. According to Becca Turner, vice president, marketing and public relations at Sunbelt, the number of registered individual exhibitors scheduled to come to …
Ag Disasters Funding Included in House Stop-Gap Funding Bill Facing Senate GOP Filibuster
House Democrats included billions for Ag disaster aid in their stop-gap government funding bill that passed on a party-line vote, but that now faces a Senate GOP filibuster over its debt limit hike. The stop-gap spending bill to avert a government shutdown October first passed on a partisan 220-211 vote, despite Democrats including billions for Ag and other disasters. Here …
Technologies for Improved Nutrient Analysis
Nutrient management is important for citrus production. Regular nutrient assessments should be conducted to optimize nutrient balance and prevent deficiencies or over-fertilization. Optimizing nutrition is important for tree health and can improve tolerance to stresses and diseases. Good nutrient management requires regular field monitoring to identify problems and examine crop responses. Leaves need to be collected and sent to a …
U.S. Cotton Production Forecast Up 27 Percent from Last Year
USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released their September crop reports today, and Becky Sommer with NASS in Washington D.C. says the U.S. cotton production estimate is up 27 percent from last year’s crop. All cotton production is forecast at 18.5 million 480-pound bales, up 7 percent from the previous estimate and up 27 percent from 2020. Acreage updates were made in several States based …
Florida Producers Encouraged to Apply for USDA Pandemic Assistance
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced updates to the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program-2 (CFAP-2), which includes expanded eligibility and increased flexibility. But a deadline of October 12, 2021 was set for eligible producers to apply or modify CFAP-2 applications. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) encourages eligible producers in Florida to review the program modifications and to apply via …