News

June 2023 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter By J. Scott Angle [email protected] @IFAS_VP You get first shot at the latest blueberry varieties developed in Gainesville, strawberries from Balm, peanuts from Marianna, forages tested in Ona, tropical foliage from Apopka, sweet corn from Belle Glade and squash from Homestead. The common thread running through…

June 2023 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter Erin Jones Gilchrist County Farm Bureau President Erin Jones is a fifth generation Gilchrist County resident. Growing up, her family had cattle, hay and peanuts on their family farm in Bell. Her family has approximately 60 commercial beef cows and a Simmental Angus bull. Jones was…

Florida Farm Bureau Federation has released the fourth episode of its new monthly podcast, Rural Recharge. In this episode, President Smith sits down with Michelle Williamson, a Florida native and huge voice for Florida agriculture. During their conversation, Williamson shares a glimpse into her agricultural experience and why…

June is National Dairy Month, which is a great time to learn about and taste delicious dairy products. Florida is home to 105,000 dairy cattle and produce approximately 300 million gallons of milk a year. Each dairy cow produces approximately 6-8 gallons of milk every day and is milked 2-3…

The 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season starts June 1 and lasts through November 30. Forecasters at the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center are predicting near-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic this season. Experts are predicting a 40% chance of a near-normal season, a 30% chance of…

June 2023 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter As the voice of agriculture, Florida Farm Bureau Federation strives to honor farming and ranching families throughout the state through public recognition and by also telling their stories of environmental stewardship. Florida Farm Bureau’s County Alliance Responsible Environmental Stewardship (CARES) program publicly recognizes Florida farmers and…

June 2023 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter Young Farmers & Ranchers are between the ages of 18-35 who have a desire to network, share ideas, participate in community projects and hone their leadership skills. The Florida Farm Bureau has an array of opportunities for this group of young agriculturists to become strong leaders…

May 2023 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter AgWATCH is an update of legislative issues affecting agriculture. Sine Die On Friday, May 5th, at eleven o’clock in the morning, the Sergeants dropped the handkerchiefs and the 2023 Legislative Session celebrated sine die! While this year’s legislative session certainly saw its fair share of controversial…

May 2023 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter Stormie Bigham Women’s Leadership Committee, District 1 Although she did not grow up on a farm, Stormie Bigham has been welcomed with open arms in the agricultural community. After marrying a rancher, Bigham worked as the bookkeeper for the family farm.  In 2006, they sold the…

Seven farm families were honored for their sustainability efforts with a County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship (CARES) award during the 22nd Annual Suwannee CARES Celebration at the UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center- Suwannee Valley. The event drew in more than 450 farmers, ranchers…

May 2023 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter By J. Scott Angle [email protected] @IFAS_VP In a state where Farm Bureau members are so good at producing just about any kind of food, it’s bewildering that we import upwards of 80 percent of our seafood. I believe we’re at a moment where we have the…

Young farmers and ranchers from across the state will gather in Orlando for the 2023 Young Farmers & Ranchers Leadership Conference July 7-9 at the Orlando World Center Marriot. The weekend conference, themed, Growing Forward, will guide attendees in ways to grow as individuals and on their farming…