commissioner

Commissioner Nikki Fried on Tropical Storm Eta Secretarial Disaster Declaration

Dan Economy, Florida

On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture informed Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried it has granted a Secretarial disaster declaration for several key counties impacted by Tropical Storm Eta, rain, flooding, and wind that occurred from Nov. 7 through Nov. 10. The storm was projected to cause at least $85 million in crop losses, especially in seasonal produce. Those counties include Collier, Hendry, Lee, and Miami-Dade …

miss florida

Miss Florida Citrus Has a New Squeeze!

Dan Citrus

In January, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) hosted virtual “Florida Citrus Squeeze” events at elementary schools throughout Florida with Chef Paula Kendrick and Miss Florida Citrus Leila Sabet. The program was announced in December to Florida food service personnel and teachers that participate in the division’s Harvest of the Month Program.  Participating schools were sent citrus, and virtual …

infrastructure

Commissioner Fried Testifies Before U.S. International Trade Commission

Dan Florida, Industry News Release, Trade

(FDACS) — Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried testified before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) on the urgent issue of unfair foreign trade devastating Florida’s and America’s domestic produce industry. The virtual hearing was on an ongoing ITC investigation into unfair trade practices by foreign exporters leading to a surge of blueberry imports in the U.S. market. Since entering the U.S. market in 2009, …

florida

Florida Receives Funds for Agriculture & Natural Resources Protection

Dan Conservation, Environment, Florida, Nursery Crops, Pest/Pest Control, USDA

(FDACS) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has allocated more than $5.5 million to Florida as part of its effort to strengthen the nation’s infrastructure for pest detection and surveillance, identification, and threat mitigation, and to safeguard the U.S. nursery production system. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has received a significant portion of these funds to support numerous projects. …

crop insurance

Enrollment for Hurricane Sally FSA Emergency Assistance Opens

Dan Economy, Florida, Industry News Release, USDA-FSA

(FDACS) — Farmers and forest landowners in four Florida Panhandle counties can begin applying for additional Hurricane Sally assistance through the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). Enrollment for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) begins today, January 4, and runs through March 4, 2021. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services encourages eligible producers to apply. The activation of the …

animal movement

Commissioner Fried Grants Santa Claus & Reindeer Animal Movement Permit

Dan Florida, Industry News Release, Livestock

(FDACS) — Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (FDACS) are issuing a Certificate of Animal Movement to Mr. and Mrs. Claus of the North Pole. The certificate will allow their reindeer – Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph – to enter and exit all homes, domiciles, encampments, and premises in the state of …

Farm Sector Income

Coronavirus Stimulus Package Helps FL Farmers

Dan Coronavirus, Economy, Florida, Industry News Release

(FDACS) — Congressional leaders agreed upon a $900 billion coronavirus relief bill. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues setting new case records, the bill will provide some direct assistance to families and additional funding for food production and distribution, among other priorities. On the bill, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried offered the following statement: “For more than nine months, COVID-19 has upended the lives …

desantis

Commissioner Nikki Fried on Florida Seizing Wetlands Permitting From EPA

Dan Environment, Florida, Industry News Release, Water

(FDACS) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) signed an agreement granting Florida authority to issue construction permits in protected wetlands, an authority previously handled for many years by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the EPA. In the 43 years since states were allowed to seek wetland permitting authority, only two had requests approved, and none since 1994. Both of …

commissioner

New BMP Record-Keeping Requirements for Florida Growers

Dan Citrus, Florida

On July 1, 2020, new record-keeping requirements went into effect for nitrogen and phosphorus amounts applied by growers enrolled in the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Best Management Practices (BMP) program. These records are required due to the passage of Senate Bill 712, the Clean Waterways Act. Citrus growers have been asking many questions about this new …

vilsack

FDACS Update: Additional County Farmworker COVID-19 Testing Availability

Dan Coronavirus, Florida, Industry News Release

Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) are announcing additional COVID-19 testing sites and dates in Miami-Dade, Hendry, Collier, Hillsborough, and Glades County for farmworkers. The ongoing efforts to provide access to testing for farmworkers is in partnership with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), and local county governments. “As the pandemic remains a major health threat, we’re continuing our work to provide …