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 …
USDA Announces Update to National Road Map for Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the first update since 2013 of the National Road Map for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) (PDF, 340 KB). The update culminates a yearlong review by the Federal Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Coordinating Committee (FIPMCC), a joint effort that is coordinated by the Office of Pest Management Policy in the Office of USDA’s Chief Economist with representatives of …
Dairy Industry Applauds Work to Deepen Philippine Trade Relations
The U.S. Trade Representative announced progress in talks with the Philippines under the bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA). U.S. dairy producers and processors appreciate the Administration’s work to preserve and deepen market access ties with a country that purchased $243 million in U.S. dairy products last year. In a joint statement released about the recent achievements in resolving …
Beagle Brigade Helping Protect Homeland Pork
When Hardy, a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) trained detector dog, sniffed out a roasted pig head in traveler baggage at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International airport early this month, it underscored the efforts USDA and its partners are undertaking to keep African Swine Fever (ASF), a swine disease that could devastate the U.S. pork producers, from entering the country. USDA continues …
USDA Announces Deregulation of GE Low-Gossypol Cotton
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announces the deregulation of Texas A&M’s cotton variety genetically engineered to have ultra-low levels of gossypol in its seed. Gossypol is a naturally occurring compound in the pigment of cotton plants and protects them from pests and diseases. This GE variety maintains protective levels of gossypol in …
UF Gives Update on Crop Damage in Florida
As of Oct. 15, economists with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) have begun gathering information they need to develop formal estimates of damages and crop losses Hurricane Michael inflicted upon agricultural and natural resources industries operating in Florida’s Panhandle. Dollar figures aren’t ready yet, but they’re on the way, said Alan Hodges, director of …
Caldwell, Fried Square Off to Replace Putnam
A state lawmaker from North Fort Myers who is a real-estate appraiser and an attorney from Fort Lauderdale who lobbies for the medical-marijuana industry are competing in next month’s election to replace term-limited Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. Unlike candidates in races for other Cabinet seats, Republican state Rep. Matt Caldwell and Democrat Nikki Fried haven’t completely avoided each other …