Some people view drones as toys, but they can be dangerous. In fact, about 1,000 people per year are injured from using drones incorrectly. To address the potential peril, two University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers are offering ways to keep people from getting hurt while using drones. For legal advice on personal injury related to …
USDA Investing in Cooperative Agreements for Racial Justice and Equity
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced they will be investing up to $50 million in cooperative agreements to support historically underserved farmers and ranchers with climate-smart agriculture and forestry. The Racial Justice and Equity Conservation Cooperative Agreements are available to entities for two year projects that expand the delivery of conservation assistance to farmers who are beginning, limited …
Survey Shows Increase in Farms with Internet Access
We told you last week that usage of computers on the farm was up, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Their 2021 Farm Computer Usage and Ownership report is conducted every other year and it shows numbers have risen compared to 2019. Adam Peters with NASS discusses some of the trends indicated in the latest survey. Peters talks about the history, intent …
EPA Takes Action to Address Risk from Chlorpyrifos and Protect Children’s Health
EPA measures will stop the use of the pesticide chlorpyrifos on food (WASHINGTON/August 18, 2021) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it will stop the use of the pesticide chlorpyrifos on all food to better protect human health, particularly that of children and farmworkers. In a final rule released today, EPA is revoking all “tolerances” for chlorpyrifos, which establish …
Groups Asking Stores to Pull Roundup from Shelves
A coalition of consumer, health and environmental groups are calling on Lowe’s and Home Depot to remove Roundup from their store shelves. The groups claim consumers can’t wait, urging the stores to remove the products now. Bayer last month announced long-term risk mitigation actions to prevent further litigation regarding Roundup. The plan calls for replacing its glyphosate-based products in the …
Vilsack, Tai, Meet with Ag Policy Advisory Committee
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai released a statement following a meeting with the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee last week. Ambassador Tai detailed how the Biden-Harris Administration’s trade agenda aligns with the objectives of the agricultural sector. The Ambassador discussed how USTR is working to support the ability of U.S. agricultural producers to expand access to …
USDA Gathering Data on Feral Swine Damage to Livestock Operations
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has announced they will be conducting a Feral Swine Livestock Damage survey to measure the costs of feral swine damage to livestock operations. The survey is conducted in cooperation with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Wildlife Services. Over 4,000 farms and ranches in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and …
EPA and Army Corps Announce Next Steps on Writing WOTUS
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps announced plans for community engagements to let people know about their efforts to revise the definition of “WOTUS,” or the Waters of the U.S rule. The goal of the rewrite is to better ensure clean and safe water for everyone. The EPA and the Army Corps say they are committed to …
DeSantis, Fried Offer Different Takes on Red Tide
(NSF, August 3, 2021/TALLAHASSEE) — Gov. Ron DeSantis and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nikki Fried made appearances Tuesday along the Gulf Coast, offering competing views about an ongoing toxic red-tide outbreak. Fried, the state agriculture commissioner, reiterated a call for DeSantis to declare a state of emergency to help combat the outbreak that has caused at least 600 tons of dead …
Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Update
(GDA/August 3, 2021) — The Georgia Department of Agriculture’s (GDA) Animal Industry Division confirmed Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 (RHDV2) in domestic rabbits at a single Gwinnett County premise. This is the second confirmed case this year. The investigation is ongoing to determine the source of the virus and currently it does not appear to be linked to the Cobb …