AgNet Online

Last week was another good one for agriculture in the Florida legislature, according to Ben Parks with Florida Farm Bureau.

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Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson talks about a tax break for certain BMP programs.

More information about the tax break can be found on the FDACS website: http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/press/2007/02192007.html

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Southeast Agnet’s Tyron Spearman has the peanut number released today from USDA-national Ag Statistics Service.  Report (1:10 wma)

Alabama Department of Agriculture’s Dyan Kennedy has a run down of this week’s cattle market numbers for the state.  Report (1:05 wma)

USDA’s Radio Division in Washington DC posted this report among it’s reports for Farm Broadcasters this week, it’s an overview of the U. S. citrus crop situation at this point in the season. Report (1:00 wma)

Citrus Industry Magazine Editor covered the recent meeting of Florida Orange Marketers and provides this interesting follow up report. Report (1:00 wma)

In this week’s pod cast, the Florida Beef Council seeks additional check off dollars, President Bush speaks to the National Cattlemen’s Association, FL legislators work with the Governor on citrus funding, and Commissioner Bronson promotes eating fruits and vegetables.

To hear Florida’s weekly reviews subscribe to our podcast .

Here’s the weekly “Ag Watch” from Florida Farm Bureau’s Legislative office in Tallahassee, a wrap up of week FOUR in this year’s Session. FFBF Ag Watch (pdf file).

USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service reports that the US All Cotton acreage intended to be planted this spring is 12.1million acres, down 20 percent from 2006. Upland acreage is expected at 11.9 million acres, a 21 percent drop from last year. With increased demand and higher prices of crops used for bio-fuels, producers switched from cotton to these commodities.

The Southeast region, which includes AL, FL, GA, the Carolinas, & VA, is down 24 percent with producers expecting to plant 2.55 million acres. Georgia, at 1.2 million acres, is down 18 percent. AL, at 450,000 acres, is down 22 percent. Florida planting intentions are down 13,000 acres from 2006 at 90,000 acres.

Corn acreage nationwide is expected to increase by 15 percent from 2006. If realized this would be the highest acreage since 1944. Soybean producers intend to plant 67.1 million acres in 2007, down 11 percent from last year. However, area planted to soybeans is expected to increase in the Southeast, with Georgia expecting the largest increase from last year at 95,000 acres. Peanut acreage overall is forecast to be four percent lower - down 3 percent in Alabama, down 8 percent in Florida, and 14 percent lower in Georgia.

Read the USDA Prospective Plantings report here.

Cotton Report (2:30 wma)

Everett Griner lets us know how much this budget is and where the money is going to go.  But, there is part of this budget shrinking.  What is it?  Report (1:00 wma)

The efforts of the Florida citrus industry to secure state funds to help with citrus crop disease research and marketing initiatives seem to be bearing fruit. The first of these reports features Citrus Commission Chairman Steve Ryan (photo left) and Citrus Department Spokesman Andrew Meadows discussing the meeting with Florida Governor Charlie Crist this week…The second report features Florida Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman J D Alexander (photo right), who is key to the funding effort in the Legislature. Also in the second report, this week’s “Ask the Citrus Expert” feature with UF’s Dr Tom Spreen - comments about citrus greening disease management.
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The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association recently added a well know name from Florida’s cattle industry to their staff.  Report (1:30 wma)

Tyron Spearman has a look at what each state in the peanut belt expects for acreage this year.  Report (1:00 wma)

The combined events of the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association Convention & Trade Show and the Georgia Beef Expo are coming up next Wednesday through Saturday in Perry.  Report (1:00 wma)

Installing new watering facilities for your livestock is something your local Alabama Natural Resources Conservation Service office can help you with.  Report (1:30 wma)

This week Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson helped unveil a new health initiative designed to get Floridians to eat more fruits and vegetables.

At an event in the Capitol Plaza, Bronson promoted the nationally sponsored “Fruits & Veggies - More Matters” campaign and told those in attendance that eating Florida produce is one of the easiest ways to improve one’s health.

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Speaking to cattle producers on Wednesday, President Bush discussed a number of issues, including trade and taxes.

The president also talked about the 2007 Farm Bill and the administration’s proposal which includes increased funding for conservation programs.

Read the president’s full remarks to the NCBA Spring Legislative Conference.

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Valent U.S.A. Corporation announced that Select Max® Herbicide with Inside Technology(TM) will again be a part of Monsanto’s Roundup Rewards® Program in 2007. This year the program, which was available for Midwest farmers in 2006, will also be offered to Select Max users in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Farmers who use Select Max with Roundup WeatherMAX® will receive $2.60 off per acre; farmers who use Select Max with Roundup Original MAX(TM) will receive $1.30 off per acre—making Select Max an economical solution.

Find out more here.

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Planning and resevations for the world’s largest citrus grower seminar and trade show are way ahead of last year. A year ago exhibitor brochures had just gone in the mail, but now at the end of March 2007 well over half the exhibit spaces are already booked for the August 22&23, 2007 Citrus Expo!

Grower seminars will feature top canker and greening experts from around the globe to join UF/IFAS top guns for one of the strongest grower programs ever to address these cutting edge topics in an up-to-the-minute format. Day two will feature what growers need to know about planting new groves in the future, including up-to-date status reports from the citrus nursery industry. It’s a seminar for serious citrus growers planned by citrus growers who want and need pointed information to help answer the most pressing citrus production questions of our time.

Citrus EXPO Invites and Welcomes for Free Admission & Lunch Both Days: Growers, Grove Owners, Production Managers & Decision-Makers involved in the production of citrus fruit. Advance grower registration will open on-line June 1, 2007.

Citrus Expo Targets and Highlights Exhibitor and Sponsorship Support from Businesses and Individuals selling to or doing business with citrus growers. Exhibitor information and other Expo details are available online. Visit the Citrus Expo Website pages for rates, reservation, floorplan and other details.

Weeds have built a tolerance to this and Everett Griner tells us what this is and what we have to do about it.  Report (1:00 wma)

In this report, citrus nurseryman Nate Jameson (photo left) says two new citrus rootstocks are being introduced by USDA, and explains how the new rootstocks have been developed by USDA researchers in Ft. Pierce.  Report (1:00 wma)

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, Charles Bronson, supports a new piece of legislation sponsored by Congressman Adam Putnam which will help citrus growers with federal support. Report (1:00 wma)

Tyron Spearman has look at the top producers from last year’s peanut crop.  Report (:45 wma)

The weekly posted price for peanuts went up. Tyron Spearman has the numbers.  Report (:15 wma)

Plans are already underway for the upcoming summer grilling promotion for beef, according to Alabama Cattlemen Association’s Ed Whatley.  Report (1:30 wma)

With the amount of beef checkoff dollars shrinking, the Florida Beef Council continues to work on securing funding from others states.  Report (1:15 wma)

The Georgia Beef Board is gearing up for upcoming events, one of which will take place next week.  Report (1:00 wma)

During the next several months, local soil and water conservation districts will be conducting a Watershed Assessment to identify problems and potential solutions in watersheds throughout the state, according to the Alabama USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

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 Everett Griner looks at this and tells us all of the areas, or reasons, potatoes are not on the menu as they used to be.  Report (1:00 wma)

Next week is the deadline to register for the upcoming 2007 Alabama Beef Excellence Program.  Report (1:40 wma)