U.S. Department of Agriculture

The Florida citrus industry could have its hardest year since the Great Depression after two back-to-back hurricanes this fall.

The effort is aimed at expanding the number and type of healthy foods available to families who get assistance from the Agriculture Department's program known as WIC, officials said.

The initial reports aren’t good for an industry that during the 2021-2022 season had its lowest production in eight decades.

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

The United States Department of Agriculture highlighted the western half of Central Florida as “abnormally dry” last week.

The industry has seen its production sharply decline the past couple of decades because of issues such as residential and commercial development, foreign imports and a devastating bacterial disease known as citrus greening.

The citrus season runs from October through June.

Total payments to farmers reached $46 billion, a record. Many received more than $100,000, yet didn't necessarily need the help.

The rule, which was to take effect April 1, would have tightened work requirements for some food stamp recipients. But a judge said flexibility in food aid is needed amid a pandemic.

Florida is the first state to receive block grants for the timber industry from the United States Department of Agriculture.

Most of the money — more than $3.6 billion — will go to soybean farmers. Last year, China bought nearly a third of all soybeans grown in the U.S.

A program to distribute federal disaster aid to Florida farmers hit by Hurricane Irma will be set up within the next 100 days, U.S. Agriculture Secretary…