USDA/APHIS Efforts to Communicate to the Masses re HLB

Gary Cooper Citrus, Florida

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

Randall Weiseman FL Commissioner Report

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

Gary Cooper Alabama, Citrus, Cotton, Field Crops, Florida, General, Georgia, Specialty Crops, Sugar

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 ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Significant Support …

John Deere Introduces New Compact Tractors for Market Niches

Gary Cooper Alabama, Citrus, Dairy, Field Crops, Florida, General, Nursery Crops, Specialty Crops, Vegetables

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

Gary Cooper Alabama, Florida, General, Georgia, USDA-NRCS

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

Randall Weiseman Alabama, General

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 ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Significant Support For ResearchDecember 19, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Considers Efforts Important to Cattle Producers in FloridaDecember …

Growers Urged to Comment on Soil Fumigant Regs

Randall Weiseman Florida, Specialty Crops, Vegetables

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 …

Something You Could Think About

Dan Agri View

There were a lot of farmers this year that paid an unnecessary price for what has occurred, and Everett Griner talks about this today and just what might have avoided it. Listen to report here: Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Significant Support For ResearchDecember 19, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Considers Efforts Important to Cattle Producers in FloridaDecember 12, 2025Commitment …

Florida Governor Supports Biofuels Production

Randall Weiseman Energy, Florida, General

Florida Governor Charlie Crist spoke to a group of over 450 gathered for the third annual Florida Farm to Fuel summit in Orlando Thursday, following an address by US Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer. “You know that Florida is a top agricultural state already,” Crist told the group. “The development of ethanol and other biofuels is incredibly important to Florida’s …

Secretary Schafer in Florida

Randall Weiseman Florida, General

US Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer made several stops in Florida today, starting with the third annual Farm to Fuel Summit in Orlando, where I had a chance to sit down and chat with him for a few minutes. During his address to the conference, Schafer talked about the great potential Florida has in helping to meet the nation’s energy needs …