History is being made with the first ever National Agroforestry Survey being conducted from February 1, 2022 to April 5, 2022. The survey is being done on farmers and ranchers across the nation that utilize these six practices on their land: windbreaks, silvopasture, riparian forest buffers, alley cropping, forest farming and multi-story cropping. The results from these surveys will be released in studies, press releases, and publications. USDA...
Farmers in western Palm Beach County have exceeded water quality standards by cutting harmful nutrients in field runoff by 59%. This is more than double what is required by law. To learn more about the Florida Everglades Forever Act and how the farmers have been able to consistently exceed requirements visit The Palm Beach Post website and read the article, "Palm Beach County farmers exceed water quality requirements by more than double,"...
Precision and automation in agriculture can minimize the overall amount of spray used in groves and orchards. Tim Hammerich explains how this technology helps Florida citrus growers in his Farm of the Future Report. Visit the Ag Information Network website to download, read, or listen to the reports. Bringing Precision and Automation to Agriculture - AG INFORMATION NETWORK OF THE WEST
The Florida Farm Bureau's CARES program recognizes Florida farmers and ranchers who implement Best Management Practices with a This Farm Cares award. Recipients of this award are committed to protecting Florida's environment and natural resources. To learn more visit the Farm Bureau website and read the article, "Florida Farmers are Protecting Natural Resources and Diverse Ecosystems," written by Cacee Hilliard. Florida Farmers are Protecting...
Buying food grown in Florida is good for the local economy, good for the farmer, and good for you! Imports sold below the cost to produce in the US impact farmers and producers in the US. Informed consumers who want to help can make an effort to purchase food produced in the US and even better, Florida! To learn more visit the NBC 2 local news website and read the article "Mexico's crop dumping is hurting Florida farmers," written by Evan Dean....
Agriculture provides food, clothing, and shelter, all of which are critical to society. However, agriculture is often cited as one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gasses. Improving grazing land management, increasing forage production and soil carbon stocks, and manure management may offer new opportunities for agriculture to play an important role in climate change mitigation. Scientists are currently working to better understand and...
Defoliating cotton creates the beautiful white snowy look of a cotton field. Cotton defoliation occurs when the mature plant sheds its leaves. Ethan Carter, the Regional Row Crop University of Florida IFAS Extension agent in Jackson County, FL published an article discussing two primary techniques used to gauge when it is time to defoliate the cotton field. To learn more visit the Panhandle UF Extension website
Three years ago, timber farmers in Calhoun County, Florida, experienced devastating losses as Hurricane Michael, a category 5 storm, made landfall and destroyed 72 million tons of standing timber. The National Association of State Foresters, Hannah Wagner, met with timber farmers in the Panhandle to find out how the industry is doing. To learn more read Hannah’s article, A Storm Like No Other Came and Went. A Community of Timber Farmers...
The USDA New Farmers website offers resources for youth to discover exciting science and technology job opportunities in agriculture. There are many different innovative ways to grow food and fiber, and modern farming is full of opportunities for agriculture and science to meet. Innovations at Work in Agriculture is a resource that shares research information, the history of science in agriculture, and how technology is used on farms today....
Rayonier land managers and technical analysts share how they use drones to gain a new perspective in forestry operations. The "Flying Foresters: Meet Rayonier's Drone Pilots" article features multiple drone pilots who are continuously preparing for what's next and working to stay on top of future technological advances. Visit the Rayonier article to learn more:
