Prospects for a new farm bill with provisions for specialty crops are alive again as conference committee members believe they are close to a compromise bill that could be wrapped up by the end of the week. Committee Chairman Senator Tom Harkin updated farm broadcasters meeting in Washington on Wednesday.
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Scathing comments made by President Bush Tuesday about a “massive, bloated farm bill” caused negotiators to call Ag Secretary Ed Schafer in for a talk to see what they can do to make sure the president signs the bill they hope to have finished by early next week now.
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The volatility in the commodity markets that has caused a spike in cotton prices recently may mean an increase in cotton acreage according to Richey Seaton with the Georgia Cotton Commission.
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This phenomenon has created havoc in the past. Did it in 2007? Stats are out and Everett Griner tells us what some of the stats are for this. Report (1:00 mp3)
There have been questions as to whether a few updates need to be made with the beef checkoff, and the Cattlemen’s Beef Board Chairman looks at what is happening right now with any possible changes. Report (1:00 mp3)
This release just in from Florida Citrus Mutual…
LAKELAND, Fla. (April 29, 2008) – The Florida citrus industry is scheduled to receive $2 million from the state’s ’08-’09 budget to help fund pest and disease research.
Sen. JD Alexander, Rep. Marty Bowen and Rep. Stan Mayfield were instrumental in obtaining the critical appropriation which will help fund research on citrus diseases such as HLB (greening) and canker. (more…)
Peaches, prunes, pears, walnuts, lettuce and artichokes are among the crops affected by a freeze last week in California.
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Farm bill conference committee members say they are now confident a new bill is finally within reach.
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Everett Griner reviews what some of the questions are on this. Report (1:00 mp3)
The 2008 Florida Legislative Session is down to its final weeks and Ben Parks of Florida Farm Bureau provides an update.
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Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson talks about Eastern Equine Encephalitis.
More information about EEE is available here on the web site of the FDACS Division of Animal Industry.
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With input costs the way they are right now, one University of Georgia livestock economist reminds cattle producers of ways they can help manage those costs and still have a profitable operation. Report (1:00 mp3)
Tyron Spearman updates where things stand with financing a new farm bill that some feel is much closer to being a reality. Report (1:15 mp3)
Many changes have taken affect in the poultry industry and Everett Griner tells us what some of them have been. Report (1:00 mp3)
With one week to go in the Florida legislative session, Sam Ard with the Florida Cattlemen’s Association looks at the budget process and where it currently stands. Report (1:30 mp3)
Today Tyron Spearman looks at the issues growers are facing right now concerning the planting date for peanuts. Report (1:00 mp3)
Dyan Kennedy with the Alabama Department of Agriculture has this week’s Alabama cattle market prices. Report (1:00 mp3)
Once again President Bush was forced into signing another one-week extension of the current Farm Bill to give Congress time to finish a new bill. This is the fifth extension since the farm bill originally expired last September.
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There are problems involved with this, and Everett Griner tells us just what they are. Report (1:00 mp3)
Congress passed another one-week extension of the current farm bill Thursday so now the question is will President Bush sign it. He had asked the House and Senate to extend the law for at least a year if they were not close to finishing the new bill. But Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin said they are close to a deal but can not finish it by this Friday, so another extension is needed.
Southeast AgNet’s Ernie Neff has been attending the meeting in Ft. Pierce of some of the top scientists with the USDA and The National Academy of Sciences where citrus greening was the topic of discussion. There were some suggestions made and Ernie tells us just what some of these were.
With certain ones in Washington scrambling to get a farm bill completed by Friday, Tyron Spearman reports that for now it’s been taken over by a higher committee. Report (1:00 mp3)
Agricultural interests are concerned about the effect speculators in the commodity markets are having on prices. The commodity futures trading commission held a forum on the topic this week and Richey Seaton with the Georgia Cotton Commission says the cotton industry was represented.
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Agriculture producers in parts of Bay, Jackson, Holmes, Walton and Washington counties could be eligible for payments from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service under the Conservation Security Program. Landowners in that area learn can more about the program during a workshop at the Washington County Ag Center April 29 at 7 pm.
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Florida Conservation Security Program specialist Kenneth Morgan explains more about the program.
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Congressman Adam Putnam of Florida this week introduced legislation to modernize America’s food safety network. The Safe Food Enforcement, Assessment, Standards and Targeting Act, or “Safe FEAST Act,” would establish new food safety requirements for domestically produced and imported food to identify and prevent potential sources of food-borne illness.
Read more here.
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Preservation of natural resources includes preserving historic cultural resources as well according to Teresa Paglione, cultural resources specialist with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Alabama.
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