Low water levels in Lake Okeechobee and continued dry weather is getting national media coverage, with no relief in sight. Water levels in Lake Okeechobee are expected to drop below the record of just under nine feet on Thursday, according to the South Florida Water Management district, making this the worst drought on record.
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Nominations are now being accepted for candidates to the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2008. The deadline for submitting nominations is September 1, 2007.
The nominees, chosen by an independent panel of judges, will be announced later this year. The induction ceremony will take place during the 30th annual Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame banquet and awards ceremony at the Florida State Fair in February 2008.
Nomination forms may be requested by calling (813) 628-4551, or by writing: Chairman, Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Foundation, 4508 Oak Fair Boulevard, Suite 290, Tampa, Florida 33610. Nomination forms are also available on line here.
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USDA’s Farm Service Agency is getting ready to implement the $3 billion disaster assistance legislation just signed that provides aid for producers affected by natural disasters in 2005, 2006 and early 2007, which includes hurricane and drought here in the southeast.
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On-Line Pre-registration for the 2007 Citrus Expo opens Friday June 1st. All attendees who pre-register before August 15 will be entered into an exclusive door prize drawing at the Expo. You can pre-register online by going to www.southeastagnet.com and choosing the Citrus Expo link, then choosing the Pre-Registration icon. Other ways to pre-register include calling the Citrus Expo office at (352) 671-1909, or returning the pre-registration form which will be included in upcoming IFAS mailings to:
Citrus Expo
5053 NW Hwy 225A
Ocala, FL 34482
Fax (352) 671-1364
In this Florida Department of Citrus Feature, Andrew Meadows talks explains the intense process the department goes through when creating new ads to promote Florida orange juice. Report (1:28 wma)
First in this report Andrew Meadows, FDOC, talks about the process of approving the box tax proposals. At this point grower organizations are meeting to decide what their recommendations will be to the Florida Citrus Commission. Then, in this weeks Ask the Citrus Expert Dr. Harold Browning, UF-CREC, encourages growers to stay engaged in the citrus industry, and continue to learn what is going on with citrus diseases.
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Because of the problems the drought is having on livestock producers, Georgia’s Agriculture Commissioner has sent a letter to the state’s Senators in Washington. Report (:30 wma)
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Alabama can help landowners better manage heavy use areas on their farm. Report (1:35 wma)
The FCA membership drive has come to an end for another year, as now it’s a matter of figuring up who will be awarded prizes used for incentives this past year. Report (1:30 wma)
This Saturday an auction will be held in Mansfield, Georgia for horses and donkeys that were impounded a few months ago. Report (:35 wma)
Tyron Spearman updates where things stand with agriculture disaster funding. Report (1:15 wma)
What part of this will Congress play? Everett Griner looks at this and tells us what they might be able to do. 
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Livestock producers can benefit in a variety of ways by using rotational grazing on their farm, and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Alabama can help you set one up. Report (1:30 wma)
Livestock producers across Georgia are having a tough time finding hay due to the current drought. Report (1:00 wma)
The drought has brought a shortage of hay across Florida, but producers are urged to be cautious of any hay they may purchase in keeping Tropical Soda Apple from spreading. Report (1:30 wma)
Tyron Spearman has a look at the latest peanut posted price and other peanut news. Report (1:00 mp3)
The 2008 policy period for the Florida Fruit Tree Crop Insurance Policy begins June 1, and the new policy will not include coverage for citrus canker. But if you’re a grower who has a previous policy you have until the end of day May 31 to file a canker claim and still get coverage under that policy. Also in this report, box taxes expected to be discussed at next week’s Citrus Mutual Conference. Report (1:28 wma)
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In the first part of this report, an update on discussions about the “free-rider” issue. This report also contains a news blurb about a Mexico grove that will soon be converted from lemons to juice oranges and grapefruit with management expertise from Florida.
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Ethanol may give a new life to this crop. Everett Griner takes a look at this and gives us his take on it. Report (1:00 wma)
The Senate overwhelmingly voted last week to reduce the number of guest workers allowed into the U.S. under the immigration bill being debated. The amendment, introduced by Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), would allow only 200,000 workers into the country, half of the original figure of 400,000.
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Japan’s agriculture minister, Toshikatsu Matsuoka, committed suicide this week, just hours before he was to face parliamentary questioning about a political finance scandal, according to government officials.
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The Indianapolis Motor Speedway was the site for both tradition and innovation this past weekend at the 91st Indy 500. Tradition honors the dairy industry when the winner of the race drinks a bottle of milk in Victory Lane, and the innovation this year was that all cars ran on 100 percent farm-produced, fuel grade ethanol.
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University of Florida Director of Citrus Research, Dr Harold Browning, comments in these reports about the status of citrus research funding from state and federal levels so far this year, and says Florida growers are most interested right now in what they need to be doing in the field to best deal with citrus greening.
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The Crop Insurance deadline is coming up the end of May. Tyron Spearman has the details of what growers need to do. Report (:35 wma)
Tyron Spearman has a look at how the current drought compares to others in the past. Report (:35 wma)
He’s from the Southeast, but Matthew Peebles currently serves as the National Beef Ambassador which is a position that will keep him traveling all around the country this summer. Report (1:00 wma)
The U.S. is seeing export sales of beef on the increase. Report (:30 wma)
Florida has lost its number one spot in forest products, but the Division of Forestry is hoping to regain that title through bioenergy.
Report (2:00 wma)
Everett Griner explains that the damage to the trees caused by these wildfires can be overcome but the damage to the wildlife is something different. Report (1:00 wma)
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