Food illness or "food poisoning" causes 1 in 6 Americans to become sick every year. This results in about 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths every year as well. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses the month of September to emphasize the importance of food safety. Food born illnesses are more susceptible to certain groups of people such as, children under the age of 5, older adults over the age of 65, pregnant women and their...
Hurricane Idalia is set to hit the big bend area of Florida late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. As this storm is approaching, Floridians are also looking out for contaminated gas at about 2 dozen gas stations across the state. This gas was accidently mixed with some diesel and then distributed to the gas stations where some people, while gassing up their vehicles for the hurricane, put this gas in their cars. Idalia Monday recap:...
“Consumers don’t know where their beef comes from. It could be South Dakota, Brazil, or Canada. U.S. producers raise better beef, and they’re not getting credit for it.” said Dusty Johnson, U.S. Representative (R-SD). Dusty introduced the Beef Origin Labeling Accountability Act to shed some light and reinstate Mandatory County of Origin Labeling (MCOOL). “This bill is a step in the right direction to get accurate labels back on these...
A new, free, class is now available for farmers to learn about the importance of phosphorus removal structures. There are seven narrated modules that cover everything from a basic overview of these structures to the disposal of spent phosphorus sorption materials. “These videos explain the basics, and then get into all the details necessary for designing and constructing phosphorus removal structures,” said Chad Penn, an Agricultural...
Brown spot needle blight is a disease found in pine trees in the southeast and it is making huge economic impacts. This disease causes yellowing, brown-red spots/bands, and needle necrosis in pine trees, and multiple years of infection may result in the tree's death. Optimal tree growth is necessary for the sustainability and profitability of these pine forests and industrial wood plantations.
To keep horses healthy, core vaccines are needed including West Nile Virus, Eastern and Western Equine Encephalomyelitis, tetanus and rabies. For West Nile Virus and Eastern and Western Equine Encephalomyelitis, the vaccines should be given every 6 months due to the population of mosquitos in Florida year-round. Consult a veterinarian when deciding which vaccines to give a horse.
The numbers were released for the 2022-2023 Florida citrus season, and it shows a significant drop from last year's season, 15.85 million boxes compared to last year's 41.2 million boxes. This is the worst season that Florida has seen in almost a century: the 1929-1930 season. Hurricane Ian made a huge impact on the groves this year, and chances of next year's season improving are slim as stressed trees are recovering and new trees are being...
Orange is the new Black? More like Bamboo is the new citrus. Grove owners have been looking for a new crop to take place of greening infested groves. Bamboo offers strong and flexible fibers, flavorful shoots that can be used in many different dishes, medicinal properties, sustainable timber and artistic properties, and bamboo is eco-friendly. By growing bamboo, grove owners can open many doors to other industries to grow here in Florida. ...
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) was found in Northwest Florida and officials are working quickly to collect samples to see how much the disease has spread so far. The first deer in Florida that tested positive was a "road-killed" doe found in Holmes County. CWD has been described as being similar to mad cow disease in cattle as it effects the nervous system and neurological state of the animal.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it will be investing at least $500 million in wildlife conservation over the next 5 years. This includes using the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to assist farmers, ranchers, private forest owners, and tribes by focusing on working lands and hiring for those key positions.
