TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced the preservation of three Florida family farms through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. The Watson Farm, a 550-acre farm and dairy operation in Gilchrist County, the Kirkland Farm, a 245-acre timber farm in Baker County, and Hart Pasture, a 1,600-acre cattle …
Florida Forest Service Now Accepting Applications for Carbon Sequestration Program
(FDACS/Tallahassee, FL/July 15, 2022) — Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Forest Service announced that applications are now being accepted for the 2022 Sequestering Carbon and Protecting Florida Land Program, a state-funded grant aimed at establishing and protecting robust forest lands in Florida by providing incentive payments to landowners. Applications will be accepted through August 12, 2022. “Forests are a critical component of addressing climate …
Florida Commissioner Nikki Fried?, FDACS Briefing on Giant African Land Snail Detection in Pasco County
(FDACS/Tallahassee, FL) — Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Division of Plant Industry (DPI) held a media briefing to discuss their ongoing work being conducted following the detection of invasive giant African land snails (GALS) in Pasco County. Commissioner Fried was joined by DPI Assistant Director Dr. Greg Hodges, DPI Deputy Director Bryan Benson, and Sparkey, a canine from the DPI Detector Dog Inspection Program. …
Seeking Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award Nominations
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has opened the nomination period for the 2022 Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award. Nominations must be submitted to FDACS by April 15, 2022. Get the nomination form here. “Through work in soil and conservation, pesticide and nutrient management, wildlife habitat conservation, and so much more … significant environmental contributions are the backbone of Florida’s thriving agriculture …
Fried Comments on FDACS New Budget
The 2022 Florida legislative Session came to an end this past Monday, when lawmakers passed that record $112.1-billion budget. During a press conference, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried discussed the dollars allocated for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsNovember 1, 2024Nuseed Carinata Covers New GroundOctober 1, 2024TriEst Ag Group: Partners in ProfitabilityApril 1, 2024
Florida Pesticide Applicators Can Now Take Licensing Exams Online
(UF-IFAS/GAINESVILLE, Fl/Feb. 28, 2022) — In Florida, pesticide licensing exams help ensure the state’s approximately 70,000 pesticide applicators follow state regulations and best practices for mitigating the impact of chemicals on the environment. Historically, the exam has only been offered in person at pre-scheduled times. The UF/IFAS Pesticide Information Office has announced that applicators will now have the option of …
After Securing State of Emergency Declaration, Florida Ag Commissioner Nikki Fried Advocates for USDA Disaster Designation to Help Florida Producers Hurt by Recent Freeze
(FDACS/Tallahassee, FL/February 9, 2022) — Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried wrote to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack in support of a Secretarial Disaster Designation to provide additional assistance to Florida producers experiencing losses due to the recent freezing temperatures. This follows the Commissioner’s requests last week for the Governor to declare a state of emergency and for the Florida Department of Transportation to issue an emergency …
Florida Producers Reminded of USDA Inclement Weather Disaster Assistance Ahead of Weekend Cold Front
(FDACS/Tallahassee, FL/January 28, 2022) — Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried is sharing information from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on federal disaster assistance for producers facing inclement weather as Florida is expected to see record cold temperatures this weekend. A cold front moving across the state is expected to bring record low temperatures, triggering a hazardous weather warning from the National Weather Service. …
Florida Commissioner Nikki Fried on Additional TS Elsa Disaster Declarations by the USDA
(Tallahassee, FL/January 24, 2022) — Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried welcomed the news from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that it has designated Dixie and Gilchrist counties as primary natural disaster areas eligible for Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans to help producers impacted by Tropical Storm Elsa in July 2021 recover. “While we were fortunate that the 2021 hurricane season was relatively quiet for Florida, all three storms that made landfall in the …
Commissioner Nikki Fried & FDACS Announce New Farmer Mental Health Initiative
(Tallahassee, FL/Nov. 3, 2021) — Today, on National Stress Awareness Day, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried is announcing that the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to carry out a new Farm Stress Awareness and Reduction Initiative in Florida. With this grant award, FDACS will launch an outreach campaign to help raise awareness about …