AgNet Online

Two allies to the peanut industry will be teaming together in Washington this year. Tyron Spearman has the story.  Report (:30 wma) 

Tyron Spearman has information about more peanut butter salmonella cases.  Report (:30 wma) 

 Agriculture at the Crossroads – Energy Farm and Rural Policy – is the theme of the USDA’s annual outlook forum being held this week.  Report (1:00 wma)

 Florida fruit and vegetable growers dodged the freeze bullet last week, but growers in California and Arizona are still dealing with the effects of last month’s freeze in that area.  Report (1:20 wma)

With soybean growers meeting in Tampa this week at the 2007 Commodity Classic, here is an interesting look at how soybean production came to the United States by way of the Southeast.

 Report (1:00 wma Part 1)

Report (1:00 wma Part 2)

National Cattlemen Beef Association’s Mary Young says beef does fit a healthy lifestyle and research efforts continue to prove just that.  Report (1:00 wma)

  To learn more Click Here

In this report, Florida Farm Bureau’s Citrus Advisory Council Chairman, Mason Smoak of Smoak Groves, talks about “Tallahassee Days”, where the group plans to meet with legislators on issues facing citrus growers in Florida. Report (2:00 wma)

Ernie Neff files this report welcoming the two newest members to the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame. The ceremony was held earlier this week in Winter Haven. Report (1:59 wma)

 Which group would you be in on this survey?  Everett Griner asked this question and gives us his decision.  Report (1:00 wma)

In this report, Highlands County Citrus Growers Association Executive Director, Ray Royce, discusses their annual meeting, issues affecting the Highlands County area, and a trip to Brazil coming up in April. Report (1:59 wma)

Mike Sparks, Florida Citrus Mutual, says that although Citrus Canker and Greening are the main focus in legislation this year, genomics and mechanical harvesting are also very important for legislators to understand.
Report (1:59 wma)

 The situation is getting serious for beekeepers nationwide as bees are abandoning colonies for no apparent reason.  Jerry Hayes with the Apiary Division of the Florida Department of Agriculture talks about what is now being called “Colony Collapse.”
Report (1:30 wma)

Corn, soybean and wheat growers are meeting this week in Tampa for the annual Commodity Classic.  Report (1:00 wma)

Tyron Spearman updates where things stand with lawsuits concerning the salmonella issue for a certain brand of peanut butter.  Report (:50 wma)

The crop insurance deadline for peanut growers is about here.  Report (:15 wma)

The beef checkoff does work, something the new Chairman of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board wants producers to understand.  Report (1:00 wma) 

Research is trying to give us a better peanut.  Everett Griner lets us know what this research is trying to do for all of us and where the peanut came from years ago.  Report (1:00 wma)

Hundreds of consumers nationwide have been affected by salmonella tainted peanut butter, but an extension food scientist says there’s no reason to stop eating peanut butter altogether.

Report (1:30 wma)

The Florida Strawberry festival kicks off this week in Plant City, running March 1 through the 11, with the theme “It’s More Than Just Shortcake.”

Report (1:30 wma)

The new leadership of Florida Farm Bureau is taking a fresh look at the organization to see if some changes are in order.

Report (1:00 wma)

Georgia cotton producers have only another week to return their ballots in the referendum on the continuation of the Georgia cotton commission.

Report (1:00 wma)

Alternative fuels will be in the spotlight when the Alabama legislative session gets underway next week.

Report (1:00 wma)

More grower comments from Florida’s heartland as citrus growers gather recently to give thanks and look toward the future. In this report, comments from Peace River Valley Citrus Grower Association Executive Director Barbara Carlton (photo), and PRVCGA’s new president, Rowdy Bateman. Report (2:00 wma)

In this report, another Dupont-sponsored “Ask Your Citrus Expert” feature. This week Dr Jim Graham from UF/CREC in Lake Alfred discusses copper application rates and timing for processed vs fresh fruit varieties. Report (2:00 wma)
Sponsoring this news posting:

Everett Griner looks at what changing the measuring scale will do, especially in the agricultural field.  Report (1:00 wma)

The National Agricultural Statistics Service is busy this month gathering information for the important Agriculture Resource Management Survey or ARMS. The people out in the field gathering that information are called enumerators according to Radley Edwards, Deputy Director for the Georgia NASS office.

Report (1:00 wma)

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson talks about the “Drop Red Gorgeous” strawberry promotional campaign.

More information about the campaign can be found at:
http://www.florida-agriculture.com/news/12-21-06.htm

More information about Florida Strawberries can be found on the web site
of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association:
http://www.straw-berry.org/

Report (1:00 wma)

Alabama Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks is concerned about a proposal that would allow the State of Florida to control Alabama’s water resources up to 50 miles north of the Florida/Alabama state line. Sparks held a press conference on the Florida-Alabama waterways management issue on Thursday with Senator Jimmy Holley, Representative Terry Spicer, Representative Alan Boothe, and Barbara Gibson, Executive Director of the Choctawhatchee, Pea and Yellow Rivers Watershed Management Authority.

More information can be found on the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries website.

Report (1:00 wma)

Listen to an interview on the topic with Ron Sparks.
Report (5:30 wma)

The monthly numbers are in, and, as suspected there ws a decrease this month.  Report (1:00 wma)

In this report, what growers in Florida’s heartland are seeing in the groves as a result of the cold weather about a week ago in many Florida growing areas. Visiting with us at the Highlands County Citrus Growers banquet in Sebring Thursday, we have comments from HCCGA Exec Ray Royce, John Gose (photo top right)from Lykes Bros, Charles Lanfier of AgraChem Sales Co (photo at left), and Mason Smoak, Smoak Groves, Lake Placid (photo btm right). Report (2:00 wma)