Farmers

Farmers and food researchers plan for more severe storms and higher temperatures.

They discuss how the industry has evolved over the years, and the challenges of being dairy farmers in a world full of milk alternatives.

Vance Whitaker, with the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Wimauma, discusses the science behind breeding the berries and offers insight into the … umm … field.

Hurricane Ian trampled over 5 million acres of agricultural land in Florida. For small, family farmers, the recovery is a long season, a brutal winter, fruitless.

Before the storm, citrus production was already forecast to drop by a third compared with the year before. Estimated losses could run as much as $304.2 million.

As Hurricane Ian crashed through Florida, some farmers lost everything. The hurricane drowned crops, and farmers across the state face major losses and profit losses. Gov. Ron DeSantis this week approved a program granting money to small businesses, including farmers.

The health department issues a “written notice of intent” for Terry Donnell Gwinn of Suwannee County, beating out 11 other applicants competing for a license earmarked for a Black farmer, a 2017 requirement from the “Pigford” lawsuits.

According to the USDA, dairy cows can produce 80 pounds of manure per day.

Chris Wagner’s background as a chef and his wife Kiona’s experience in event planning led to the couple’s interest in expanding their garden to a full-fledged farm.

Products such as seeds, fertilizers and chemicals are slow to arrive, and their prices are on the rise.

The state will kick off the rulemaking process for Black farmer applicants within “weeks to months” and set the stage for another set of licenses that would nearly double the number of operators.

Florida’s Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried has spoken in support of the program. She says it’s an attempt to right the wrongs of the past.