Farm Bill Passes Senate
The Senate passed the 2007 Farm Bill on Thursday by an even larger margin than the House - voting 81 to 15 in favor of the Farm, Nutrition and Bioenergy Act of 2008, despite the threat of a presidential veto.
Senate Ag Committee ranking Republican Saxby Chambliss of Georgia says the bill is good for farmers, better for the hungry.
Report 1(1:00 mp3)
Senate Ag Committee chairman Tom Harkin of Iowa says the bill is a win-win for agriculture and the public and is especially good for specialty crop growers.
Report 2(1:00 mp3)
May 7, 2008 - GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Peter Stoffella has been named director of the Indian River Research and Education Center, an appointment that became effective May 5. Stoffella, a horticulture professor with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, had served as the center’s interim director for 11 months. He served as an associate director for the center since 2002. “Coming from within the system, my learning curve is a little bit easier than someone coming from outside,” he said. 
The U.S. House of Representatives voted last week to officially designate July as National Watermelon Month for many years to come.
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.
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. 
Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer today announced the appointment of members to the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade, including Mike Stuart with the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association.
President Bush signed a short term extension of the current farm bill last week and this week Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer outlined what the president expects Congress to deliver in a Farm Bill by April 18.
USDA researchers are looking into using infrared heating technology to dry strawberries for processed products.
In these reports, Florida Congressman Tim Mahoney says south and central Florida could lead the cellulosic ethanol industry and that the federal goverenment is making serious investments to help spur the industry forward. 
USDA´s four honey bee research labs are joining forces for a five year study address honey bee health in general, and colony collapse disorder specifically.
Catching up with Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Bronson at this week’s Florida Ag Hall of Fame festivities 
Making a strong statement that the Florida agriculture industry is far from waning, well over a thousand producers and ag industry leaders joined Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Bronson for fellowship and dinner while honoring this year’s four inductees into the industry’s most exclusive club of pioneers. This year’s honors went to (l to r) “Pete” Clemons, Okeechobee; Hugh English, LaBelle; Fritz Stein Jr, Belle Glade & Dr Alto Straughn, Waldo.
Each of this year’s winners were accompanied to the event by dozens of their own local supporters, and hundreds of producers and industry leaders made it a night as well. Southeast AgNet hats are off to these exceptional people who have had so much impact on an industry that is so important to all of us, economically and otherwise. Learn more about the winners 
A new tomato disorder has been observed in several fields in Hillsborough and Manatee counties that is being called tomato purple leaf disorder. Specialists at the 
Regardless of what you may have been told about comments he “reportedly made…” you can now hear in the report below, in his own words, what University of Florida President Bernie Machen thinks of the Florida agriculture industry and the budget crisis facing the University and the State of Florida as a whole. Speaking to us here at Southeast AgNet moments ago in an effort to reach Florida agriculture directly, Machen wants to set the record straight about comments attributed to him that he says he never made. Machen also wants agriculture to understand the severe budget challenges facing the University of Florida and other state institutions going into this year’s legislative session.
Senate Ag Committee Chairman Tom Harkin says the possibility of reverting to 1949 law is becoming more real as the farm bill process drags on and the administration threatens a veto, but he thinks the Senate could override a veto.
