July 2024 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter

By Rob Gilbert
[email protected]
@IFAS_VP

Former Putnam/St. Johns County Farm Bureau board member Eric Hjort is a leader. That means he works on behalf of Florida agriculture, not just for Tater Farms. Part of how he does that is by working with UF/IFAS.

Our capacity to help Farm Bureau members make a living depends on active participation from people like Eric. The future of farming in Florida is better off for his support of the land-grant mission through his engagement in our teaching, research and Extension.

Eric doesn’t just embrace innovation. He helps us discover. Currently he’s given us (specifically, Dr. A.J. Lindsey) access to 30 acres (15 acres in Lake Placid and 15 acres in Hastings) to figure out the best way to fertilize St. Augustine and Bermuda grass.

This helps Tater Farms. They get a look at how different fertilizer applications work on their farm. Their sacrifice of 30 acres also helps you, though, because the data generated from Tater Farms’ acreage will help us update fertilizer recommendations that FDACS consults as it makes rules in its BMP manuals for the whole state.

But Tater Farms is going much farther. Eric’s son Gage is a highly trained agricultural engineer who is working with our faculty members Drs. Nathan Boyd and Arnold Schumann on targeted spraying technology. With the help of artificial intelligence, Boyd, Schumann, and Gage hope to refine the spraying of non-selective herbicide on turf grass. This represents a huge potential win-win-win for turf farmers. It could reduce input costs, reduce environmental impact and increase turf yield because presently certain herbicides kill good turf along with bad weeds.

We need science to create these win-win-wins, and we need future-thinking emerging leaders like Gage to help us pursue win-win-win science.

Here we at UF/IFAS would like to take a little credit for Gage’s pursuit of innovation. He is a recent alumnus of our Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department, where he majored in biological engineering. And maybe even a little for Eric’s. Eric is a graduate of our Wedgworth Leadership Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources, where he went through a two-year leadership development program that included travel throughout Florida, the U.S. and even a trip abroad.

Dr. Lincoln Zottarelli and colleagues are working with Tater Farms to see if they can automate irrigation through tile drainage. If it works, it will reduce water use by irrigating fields at just the right rate to maintain ideal soil moisture based on readings from sub-surface moisture sensors.

Tater Farms, started in 1975 by Frank and Polly Johns, has a history of success and innovation. Originally a cabbage and potato farm, they planted their first crop of turfgrass in 2004. Eric, president of Tater Farms, has helped continue this tradition of innovation and leadership by getting out in front of the industry by a decade on things like irrigation and targeted spraying. And they’re doing it by working with UF/IFAS.

He’s making sure you get the benefits, too, as he serves as a leader. I recently visited with him in his volunteer capacities as board member of the Turfgrass Producers of Florida and of the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association.

Whether it’s through FFBF, TPF or FFVA, Eric is helping Florida get to farming of the future. UF/IFAS is helping him and Gage get there faster and more profitably.

Rob Gilbert is the University of Florida’s interim senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources and leader of the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS).

June 2024 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter

By Rob Gilbert
[email protected]
@IFAS_VP

Florida agriculture has a recipe for profitable farming that protects water quality. The ingredients include science, financial incentives, and encouragement from peers.

We’re fortunate in Florida to have a great partnership to supply you with all of the above.

The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) develops the science. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) makes water-friendly farming less costly. The Florida Farm Bureau Federation (FFBF) encourages you to adopt controlled release fertilizer, cover cropping and more – and highlights farmers who embrace these innovations.

There are many more partners, but these three represent the academia-government-industry partnership on which the land-grant mission is based.

At the recent Suwannee CARES event, we celebrated another dozen farmers who are doing it right. They got plaques, applause, and photos with FFBF President Jeb Smith.

They also cruised a midway that offered everything from pork sliders to roasted PBJs.

UF/IFAS hosted the party at its North Florida Research and Education Center—Suwannee Valley. FFBF identified the honorees and helped bring together 700 people to celebrate environmental stewardship. Kathy Mears, chief of staff to the commissioner of agriculture, and West Gregory, who leads the FDACS Office of Agricultural Water Policy, attended to show their support.

Even with state statute as his marching orders to implement BMPs, Gregory says the key to widespread adoption is not to force them on farmers but to help them figure out how to implement them effectively and profitably.

His office defrays costs for new equipment, supplies or techniques with direct funding or through the Farm Bureau, the water management districts, or UF/IFAS.

FDACS also supports some of the science. It funds the work of UF/IFAS researchers who validate the effectiveness of existing practices and discover new ways to grow more food with fewer inputs. I’m thankful to FDACS for supporting work on carrots, corn, and watermelon at the UF/IFAS research farm in Live Oak.

None of us could do this individually. In recent years we at UF/IFAS have deployed researchers across the state to update nutrient rate recommendations that in some cases are a generation old. FDACS, sometimes through the Suwannee River Water Management District, has invested more than $17 million in the past decade to help farmers buy soil moisture sensors and air seeders. Farm Bureau finds exemplary producers who inspire others to commit to BMPs.

So, while we celebrate the farmers who are getting it right, we also celebrate the academia-government-industry recipe we’ve relied upon to implement the land-grant mission for 150 years.

Rob Gilbert is the University of Florida’s interim senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources and leader of the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS).

June 2024 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter

The election of pork producer delegate candidates for the 2025 National Pork Producers (Pork Act) Delegate Body will take place at 10:00am on Thursday, July 25, 2024, in conjunction with a Board of Directors meeting of the Florida Pork Improvement Group at the Florida FFA Association office, 5600 SW 34th St., Gainesville, FL 32608. All Florida pork producers are invited to attend.

Any producer, age 18 or older, who is a resident of Florida and has paid all assessments due may be considered as a delegate candidate and/or participate in the election. All eligible producers are encouraged to bring with them a sales receipt proving that hogs were sold in their name and the checkoff deducted. For more information, contact the Florida Pork Improvement Group, PO Box 147030 Gainesville, FL 32614 or by phone, (352) 384-2633.

June 2024 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter

 The FDACS Best Management Practices Manual revision process is still being conducted, with the Office of Agricultural Water Policy (OAWP) on track to complete updating the remaining 8 manuals by the end of 2024. The manuals that have been completed are cow/calf and sod. Manual revisions left are poultry, equine, specialty fruit and nut, dairy, nursery, citrus, VAC and livestock.  

Florida Farm Bureau Federation staff will continue to participate and monitor the revision process on all upcoming manuals, provide comments and suggestions, as well as ensure that sustainable and industry acceptable practices are incorporated into the manuals with minimal governmental overreach. FFBF has also been very successful in recruiting and engaging its active members to participate in the manual revision process, representing their respective industry. 

June 2024 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter

The South Florida Water Management District (SFMWD) manages five different Water Supply Planning Regions throughout their 16-county geographic boundary. These water supply plans are updated every five years and were developed to assess and project water demands and potential sources of water through 20-year planning horizon. The plan updates are used by local governments, water users and utilities to update and modify local comprehensive plans, facility work plans and ordinances.

The Lower East Coast Water Supply Plan (LEC WSP) area includes Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and parts of Monroe, Collier, and Hendry counties. The South Florida Water Management District is developing the 2023-2024 Lower East Coast Water Supply Plan Update (2023-2024 LEC Plan Update) to assess projected water demands and potential sources of water for the period from 2021 to 2045.

The Lower East Coast Planning Area has a growing population and limited freshwater resources. Because freshwater resources are limited, the 2023-2024 LEC Plan Update focuses on other water supply sources, such as reverse osmosis to treat brackish groundwater, reclaimed water, storage options, seasonal surface water and water conservation to address future demands.

Florida Farm Bureau Federation remains very involved in all statewide Water Supply Plans, commenting regularly to ensure agriculture’s right to adequate water supply to stay in business. Comments on the LECWSP arose due to concerns over inadequate incorporation of the new Lake Okeechobee regulation schedule and its effect on agricultural water supply.

Below are the comments that were submitted to the LEC plan manager.

“On behalf of the Florida Farm Bureau Federation and our 132,000 member families, many of which live and farm within the boundaries of the Lower East Coast Water Supply Plan (LEC WSP) area, I appreciate the opportunity to comment on the Lower East Coast Water Supply Plan Update.

We have remaining concerns regarding how the upcoming Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM) will be handled in the Water Supply Plan Update. Uncertainty remains on how to create and implement this plan without knowing what the lake schedule will be. The way that the schedule is described in the current LOSOM Water Control Plan does not provide the certainty and predictability needed for uniform and reliable operations. When we go back and review prior water supply plans, heavy reliance is placed on the lake regulation schedule, and with current LOSOM operations, and its inability to meet the lake’s MFL, we have no way of knowing how this will affect water supply.

Due to these concerns, we would like to request a delay in the plan process.

Florida Farm Bureau Federation greatly appreciates the District’s openness and willingness to listen to the concerns of our industry. We are thankful for the opportunity to provide these comments and look forward to continued collaboration.”

For more information, please contact the Florida Farm Bureau Federation Government and Community Affairs Division.

June 2024 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter

Peanut Marketing News released the following update on the Farm Bill on Friday, May 24, 2024. 

The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 (Farm Bill) passed out of Committee tonight in a vote of (33- 22). Four Democrats (Reps. Bishop (GA), Caraveo (CO), Davis (NC), and Sorenson (IL)) joined with all Republican committee members in voting yes. No floor time has been scheduled to date. Democrats and Republicans sparred over the main issue of funding for the total farm bill. The proposed legislation would draw on SNAP as a source of funds to cover commodity programs.  

The importance of a five-year farm bill reauthorization cannot be overstated. Meaningful investments in the farm safety net are necessary to provide stability and certainty for the farmers and ranchers that feed, fuel, and clothe our country. Ad hoc spending is neither reliable nor effective and often falls short of delivering much needed assistance for many producers.  

With these principles in mind and based on feedback from hundreds of stakeholders at dozens of listening sessions and hearings over the past 17 months, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 was drafted to meet the needs of farm country. Several members of the committee praised the Chairman for attending numerous hearings all across the country preparing the draft for the House Agriculture Committee’s Farm Bill. 

 Over the last two years producers have experienced a precipitous decline in commodity prices that is expected to continue throughout the life of this farm bill. Additionally, due to rising inflation, production expenses have ballooned over 30% since the 2018 Farm Bill was enacted into law and are expected to continue to climb.  

Without adequate support, the impact of this collapse in NFI will be further exacerbated. Increases in commodity prices over the last three decades have been outstripped by increases in the cost of production. In fact, the ratio of prices received to prices paid fell 55% from 1990 to 2020 and despite a slight rebound into 2023, the ratio is still 50% lower than in 1990.  

Enhancements to the Farm Safety Net  

The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 makes targeted improvements to meet the needs of each commodity and provide enhanced support moving forward by bolstering the flagship Title I programs, Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) through increases to Statutory Reference Prices (SRP) and improving ARC for all commodities. The Statutory Reference for peanuts would be $630 ton, up from $535 ton. Additionally, for the first time in decades, producers will have an opportunity to add base acres to their farm, granting access to Title I programs for many farmers who have been previously excluded. Marketing Assistance Loans are strengthened through increases in the loan rate for all commodities. The Loan rate for peanuts would increase from $355 per ton to $390 per ton.  

Crop insurance coverage for producers is expanded though the enhancement of area-wide coverage options, making insurance more affordable. Payment limits are also modernized to help keep pace with inflation. 

June 2024 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter

In February 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) vacated the registration for over-the-top (OTT) use of three dicamba herbicides, XtendiMax, Engenia, and Tavium. Immediately following this vacatur, EPA issued an existing stocks order. This stated OTT dicamba products that were already in the United States and were packaged, labeled, and released for shipment prior to February 6, 2024, are approved for use in the manner they were previously labeled and in accordance with the end dates identified by the EPA based on location and crop. 

EPA has since opened a public comment period regarding the 2025 Bayer dicamba label for dicamba-tolerant cotton and dicamba-tolerant soybeans. Please note that FFBF is monitoring the Federal Register and is anticipating the 2025 BASF label Notice of Receipt shortly.  

To review FFBF’s comments posted for public comment, please click here.

Please contact the Ag Policy Department with any questions or comments.

June 2024 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter

Jake Pendergrass is no stranger to Farm Bureau. He grew up on his family’s cow/calf operation in North Alabama and moved to Florida when he was 12 years old. 

After relocating to Florida, Pendergrass spent his teenage years helping on the family’s citrus grove in Zolfo Springs. He was involved in FFA and showed cattle, participated in citrus and livestock judging and held leadership roles such as chapter reporter and vice president. 

Pendergrass received his degree in citrus and horticultural sciences from Florida Southern College and currently works as a loan officer for Farm Credit. He continues to help on the family farm and manages a small herd of his own commercial cattle, including South Poll, Brangus and Red Angus breeds. 

His father served as the state Young Farmers and Ranchers Leadership Group (YF&R) chair for the Alabama Farmers Federation (Alfa) and later served on its county board before moving to Florida. Observing his father’s involvement in the organization made it an easy decision for Pendergrass to join himself. He serves as the Highlands County YF&R treasurer and representative for District 9 on the state leadership team. 

“I love getting to hear the stories of other farmers across the state of Florida and advocating for them,” said Pendergrass. “Agriculture in Florida is under attack and being able to help grow the industry is what I like about the Florida Farm Bureau Federation. It’s just a great organization and everybody involved deeply cares about farmers and ranchers in our state.” 

Pendergrass enjoys being involved in his county and educating the community about the importance of agriculture. He is proud of the annual Ag Fest hosted by Hardee County Farm Bureau during Farm-City Week in November. This outreach event educates community members about agriculture in the area.  

“I’m tied to agriculture because of my love and passion for the agricultural industry in Florida,” said Pendergrass. “Being able to carry on the heritage of being an agriculturalist is what keeps me tied to ag.” 

May 2024 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter

Katie Quincey is a proud fifth generation agriculturalist from Trenton. Her family’s cow/calf operation, Hines Cattle Co., is on the Gilchrist/Alachua County line in North Central Florida.  In addition to commercial beef cattle, her family produces grass seed and hay.

“My great-grandfather on my dad’s side was a range rider,” said Quincey. “He would drive peoples’ cows to dipping vats and then drive them back to the farms. I think that’s neat.”

Quincey was heavily involved in 4-H and FFA throughout her childhood. She was an FFA state star finalist in her senior year of high school, managing her own small herd of purebred angus cattle. She and her family are still involved with FFA and donate steers to students showing at the state fair. Additionally, Quincey coaches the Bell FFA livestock judging team.

After earning her degree in Food and Resource Economics from the University of Florida, Quincey taught high school agriculture for seven years. She has transitioned from the classrooms to the fields as a technician for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, having been in her new role for one year.

“My focus is on Best Management Practices (BMPs),” said Quincey. “I work with the farmers directly and am the middleman between the state and production agriculture. I’m the voice for them, to get their needs across and help them conserve water.”

Growing up in agriculture, Quincey has always had a strong passion for the beef industry. Her passion continued to grow when she was introduced to the Young Farmers and Ranchers program offered through Florida Farm Bureau. Although her family has always been Farm Bureau members, she is the first to be actively involved in the organization.

“Farm Bureau has given me opportunities to thrive as an individual, “said Quincey. “It has endless opportunities to make yourself better and to promote agriculture. I think if you don’t have people speaking out for agriculture then it’s going to die, and Farm Bureau gives you that voice.”

Quincey recently moved back to Gilchrist County and is excited to revitalize the Young Farmers and Ranchers program locally. She serves as the Gilchrist County Women’s Chair and is optimistic about the many ideas of the committee to promote agriculture in the community.

Throughout her career and continued leadership growth, Quincey tries to stay tied to agriculture in every aspect of her life. She often reminds herself of her roots and where she came from.

“I have a love and passion for my family’s farm and hope to take it over one day,” said Quincey.” I always keep that in mind as I create goals for the future.”

May 2024 FloridAgriculture e-Newsletter

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) monitors all major water bodies in the state of Florida for nutrient levels and potential pollutants.

If a water body is considered impaired, the whole watershed is placed into a Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP).

A BMAP is a framework for water quality restoration that contains local and state commitments to reduce pollutant loading through current and future projects and strategies. BMAPs contain a comprehensive set of solutions, such as permit limits on wastewater facilities, urban and agricultural best management practices (BMPs), and conservation programs designed to achieve pollutant reductions established by a total maximum daily load (TMDL). BMAPs are adopted by Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretarial Order and are legally enforceable.

All land uses within the BMAP boundary have nutrient loading associated with and assigned to them. All land uses have steps and requirements within the BMAP to reduce nutrient loading into the water body.

For agricultural lands, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Office of Agricultural Water Policy (OAWP) implements the Best Management Practices (BMP) Program statewide. For agricultural properties that lie within the boundaries of a BMAP, either enrollment in the BMP Program or onsite water quality monitoring with FDEP is required.

For landowners who are enrolled in the FDACS BMP Program, and properly implementing best management practices, they are granted a “presumption of compliance” with state water quality standards.

For the past few years, OAWP has been in the process of sending letters to landowners of agricultural properties within BMAPs that are not currently enrolled in the BMP Program to encourage them to enroll. FDACS first started sending these letters out in the Lake Okeechobee Basin by sub watershed. They have completed that mailout effort and are now moving on to the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) BMAP area.

The IRL BMAP encompasses northeastern St. Lucie County, eastern Indian River County, eastern Brevard County, and a small portion of southeastern Volusia County.

FDACS is currently using a contractor, Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC (CRI), to facilitate sending out and responding to letters for unenrolled landowners in the IRL BMAP.  Specifically, these letters will be addressed to landowners owning parcels in the IRL BMAP area that have both an ag tax property use code and an ag tax valuation, based on information from the property appraiser’s websites, who are not enrolled in the FDACS BMP program.

CRI will be handling all the responses from the mailout and will be working with respondents to determine if they need to be enrolled in the FDACS BMP program. Once that is determined, FDACS will be contacting the respondents to schedule a time that is convenient for the landowner/producer for a site visit to enroll the property in the BMP Program.

FDACS has stated that the best course of action would be to respond using the postcard provided via mail (an envelope will also be provided with the letter) or via emailing the postcard to [email protected].

If an agricultural property is within the boundaries of a BMAP, the landowner can either enroll in the FDACS BMP Program or monitor their own water quality at their own expense and report that data to FDEP, which can be exorbitantly time consuming and expensive.

If a landowner does not consider themselves bona fide agriculture but is utilizing agricultural tax property use code and valuation, they can contact the county property appraiser via letter or email to remove their greenbelt status and copy FDACS and FDEP on the correspondence to remain out of the FDACS BMP Program and prevent the need for water quality monitoring.

After responding to the letter, an FDACS OAWP Field Staff Representative will contact you to schedule a time to visit your agricultural property. Once on site, the representative will request a short tour of your operation and go through the applicable BMP Manual and BMP Checklist with you, noting which BMPs are applicable and should be implemented. You will then sign a Notice of Intent to Implement (NOI) to complete your enrollment in the BMP Program. Once enrolled in the BMP Program, the landowner or farmer/rancher is required to maintain records of soil tests and nutrient application of nitrogen and phosphorus. These application records are to be put into an FDACS provided Nutrient Application Recordkeeping Form (NARF).

After the initial enrollment visit, FDACS is required by law to perform Implementation Verification (IV) visits with enrolled properties every two years. During this IV visit, FDACS and the landowner and/or farmer/rancher will review the checklist, the NARF, and any other nutrient application records. Only the NARF with nitrogen and phosphorus application timings and amount will leave the farm with FDACS.

For more information on FDACS BMP Program, click here.