The algae and red tide blooming along Florida’s coastal waterways are concerning to everyone, including those of us in agriculture. It is understandable that many Floridians are upset and are anxious for answers, but misinformation is being circulated by anti-farmer activists that erroneously points to farmers in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), south of Lake Okeechobee, as the cause of …
Cleaning Up Florida’s Red Tide Aftermath
Source: Everglades Agricultural Area Farmers Some have erroneously claimed that farms south of Lake Okeechobee contribute to the ecological problems in Lake Okeechobee and on the coasts, as they claim that farmers back pump farm water to the lake, which is not true. We encourage you to read the special report from the Palm Beach Post, especially excerpts below. Your …
Scott: Expedited Water Project Will Help Reduce Harmful Lake Okeechobee Discharges
Governor Rick Scott announced that, under his direction, another key Everglades restoration project is moving forward ahead of schedule. This year, Governor Scott included funding to expedite this project in his recommended budget and then signed into law this investment of $6 million to begin construction on the S-333 expansion project by the end of the year. This expansion project …
Trump Budget Seeks State Money for Dike Repairs
State dollars will be needed to speed federal repairs to the Herbert Hoover Dike around Lake Okeechobee, under President Donald Trump’s proposed budget. Gov. Rick Scott was quick Monday to praise direction given in the proposed budget as solidifying Trump’s commitment to complete the federal dike repairs ahead of schedule. “Last year, after my meeting with President Trump, he directed …
Rubio Seeks Funding Commitment for Dike Repairs
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio wants money put behind President Donald Trump’s recent call to speed up completion of repairs to the Herbert Hoover Dike around Lake Okeechobee. The Miami Republican asked Mick Mulvaney, the chief of the White House Office of Management and Budget, on Tuesday to support funding levels outlined by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that would …
Scott to Seek More Money for Lake Okeechobee Dike
Gov. Rick Scott confirmed Monday his budget request for the 2018 legislative session will include $50 million to help speed federal repairs to the Herbert Hoover Dike around Lake Okeechobee. “These repairs are a priority, and that’s why I’m proposing $50 million in state funding to help expedite the project,” Scott said in a prepared statement. Scott last week announced …
Trump Calls For Speeding Up Lake Okeechobee Dike Work
With the White House pointing to ties between President Donald Trump and Gov. Rick Scott, repairs to the Herbert Hoover Dike around Lake Okeechobee might be done more quickly than anticipated. Trump on Thursday directed Mick Mulvaney, the chief of the White House Office of Management and Budget, to accelerate the work. “The administration, working closely with Florida Gov. Rick …
As Lake Okeechobee Levels Rise, So Do Community Concerns
It’s only been a few weeks since Hurricane Irma battered our farms and farming communities. EAA farmers have been working overtime to make sure our farms and farming communities south of Lake Okeechobee have the resources they need to get back on their feet. We’ve delivered more than 10,000 meals to local residents in need and our farms have donated thousands …
Senator Seeks $100 Million for Florida Forever
At least $100 million a year would be set aside for Florida Forever, the state’s most prominent land-preservation fund, under a measure filed by Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island. Bradley’s proposal (SB 370) would annually designate a portion of the state’s Land Acquisition Trust Fund for the Florida Forever program, which in the past received as much as $300 million …
Lake Okeechobee Rise Spurs More Water Releases
Water started to be released southwest from Lake Okeechobee on Tuesday morning, as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers seeks to stem a post-hurricane rise in the lake’s water level. The Army Corps had resumed flows from the lake east toward the St. Lucie Estuary on Friday but held off on western releases because of flooding from Hurricane Irma that …