Turning Point for Florida Ag
At the recent Farm to Fuel Summit in Florida, the state’s chief financial officer told the crowd that biofuels are the future for Florida agriculture.
CFO Alex Sink noted that one of the turning points in Florida’s history was when citrus first started to be grown in the state. “My bold prediction is that this sea change that we are seeing in addressing opportunities that we have to be involved in biomass is going to change the face of agriculture in Florida potentially as much as citrus did.”
Listen to part of Sink’s Farm to Fuel address here:
Report (10:00 mp3)
Grower Peter McClure heads the volunteer efforts of the Citrus Production Research Advisory Council which gives input to the research community about where growers want research funds to be invested. He says growers and the industry are under pressure like never before for timely progress on citrus ‘greening’ research.
Alabama Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks will be visiting with Alabama farmers who have suffered damages due to the drought on Wednesday, August 8th at three stops across the state. The purpose of the meetings will be to assess drought conditions in the different growing regions of Alabama, facilitate dialogue with growers on current conditions and imminent needs, and update growers on the status of state and federal drought assistance relief efforts. 
Reaction from agricultural groups to the farm bill passed by the House last week has been overwhelmingly positive.
Senate Democrats are hoping to improve on the House Farm Bill passed last week. One area of concern for Senate Ag Committee Chairman Tom Harkin is conservation, and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service chief Arlen Lancaster says he expects Harkin to make some changes there.
How much food does the American Farmer produce? Everett Griner tells us then asks a question for us to think about before answering. You might be surprised with some of the statistics
Southeast AgNet will soon have to say farewell to a young lady we all think the world of around here. Katherine Bush started at Southeast AgNet as a legislative news intern in Tallahassee in early 2006. “Kat” has been a pleasure to work with as she more recently pulled the details and logistics together for Citrus Expo 2007, likely to be the biggest and best Expo of the event’s 16 year history. She has also effectively learned the citrus newsbeat as a program anchor for Southeast AgNet. We wish her the best in her new endeavors as an ag-chem sales rep in central Florida, and in her marriage set for late September. Good Luck Kat! We hope you’ll remember those of us at the bottom of the job training and feeding chain!
Florida citrus nurseries are investing heavily to serve grower needs into the future, and Citrus Health Response Program meetings this Wednesday in Arcadia and Thursday in Sebring expect to draw good grower turnout in both areas. Hear more in these reports.
Two members of the U.S. House of Representatives commented on how the House version of the Farm Bill will affect peanut growers. 
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson talks about new food safety regulations for tomato growers. 
As the 2007 Farm Bill is being crafted, USDA’s 
Funeral services for former Southeast Agnet reporter Russ Ragan, who was killed in a private plane crash Thursday, have been set for 2:00pm Sunday at the Byrd Funeral Home in Dothan, Alabama. Visitation will take place Saturday evening from 5:00-7:00 pm at the funeral home which is located on Highway 84 West in Dothan.
Get a preview in this report from one of the Florida-based presenters, Dr. Michael Rogers from 
Georgia Beef Board’s Julie Watson says their recent trip to Denver was a good one in getting updates concerning the national beef checkoff programs and how to implement certain ones in the state. 
Dyan Kennedy with the Alabama Department of Agriculture runs down this week’s cattle market numbers from across the state. 
