Tag Archive: County

USDA Reminds Producers of Approaching Deadline for FSA County Committees Nominations

Categories:

Panhandle Agriculture

May 17, 2013

May 17, 2013

USDA FSA

Want to be more involved in how federal Ag programs are delivered in your county? Consider participating as a representative on your local FSA county committee.

Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds farmers, ranchers and other agricultural producers that they have until August 1, 2013, to nominate eligible candidates to serve on local FSA county committees.

The last day to file your nomination form is August 1, please get involved this year and nominate the candidate of your choice, or nominate yourself to serve on your local county committee.  This is your opportunity to have a say in how federal programs are delivered in your county.

FSA county committees help local farmers through their decisions on commodity price support loans, conservation programs and disaster programs, and by working closely with county executive directors.

To be eligible to hold office as a county committee member, individuals must participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and live in the local administrative area where they are running.  A complete list of eligibility requirements, more information and nomination forms are available at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/elections.

All nominees must sign the nomination form FSA-699A.  All nomination forms for the 2013 election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by close of business on August 1, 2013.  Ballots will be mailed to eligible voters by November 4 and are due back to the local USDA Service Centers on December 2.  The newly elected county committee members will take office January 1, 2014.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.  To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay).

                   

PG

Author: Judy Ludlow – judy.ludlow@ufl.edu

Judy Ludlow is the Agriculture and Natural Resource Agent in Calhoun County, Florida

Judy Ludlow

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Permanent link to this article: http://bay.ifas.ufl.edu/newsletters/2013/05/17/usda-reminds-producers-of-approaching-deadline-for-fsa-county-committees-nominations/

Kudzu Bug Makes First Appearance in Wakulla County

Categories:

Panhandle Agriculture

May 10, 2013

May 10, 2013

Kudzu Bug Makes First Appearance in Wakulla County

Kudzu bugs, with a taste for legumes, cotton and citrus, have made their first appearance in Wakulla County.

Kudzu bugs, with a taste for legumes, cotton and citrus, have made their first appearance in Wakulla County.

The Kudzu Bug also known as the bean plataspid (Megacopta cribraria, Fabricius), was discovered in the Sopchoppy area of western Wakulla County last week populating a citrus tree.  Kudzu bugs are native to East Asia and were first detected in northeastern Georgia in October 2009.

They have quickly established reproducing populations and have spread throughout Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, and moved into Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi and Virginia.

These pests are excellent hitchhikers which will cling to people and vehicles moving through an infested area. They are also good fliers and can travel long distances.

While there is a family resemblance with its squared tail and blunt dome shaped head, Kudzu bugs are not­ beetles. They are a nuisance stink bugs which secrete a foul odor and are capable of staining a variety of surfaces.

As the name suggest they will dine on kudzu, but will also move into other crops such as soybeans, green beans and other legumes. There is serious concern these exotic pest will be one more recently imported impediment to production soybeans and and other legumes in the Big Bend Region.

Much like stinkbugs, adults will excrete an odor as a defense mechanism when disturbed. In its native habitat, there are up to three generations of these pests per year. In the warmer latitudes of north Florida the reproduction rate may exceed the recorded rate in Asia.

Any pyrethroid based insecticide applied directly to the bugs can kill them. However, the bug’s mobility and their overwhelming numbers make them difficult to control.

To learn more about kudzu bugs, contact your local Extension Office, read a brief summary in the UF/IFAS publication: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in939, or go to the official Kudzu Bug Website   that was developed by a working group of Research and Extension Faculty from across the Southeast.  Their site provides the latest recommendations for control of Kudzu Bugs.

Adult kudzu bug on a human thumb.

Adult kudzu bug on a human thumb.

PG

Author: Les Harrison – harrisog@ufl.edu

Les Harrison is the UF/IFAS Wakulla County Extension Director. He began his work in the Northwest Extension District as the Sustainable Agriculture and Extension Technology Agent in Leon County on August 25, 2006. His career in agriculture extends back over thirty five years and includes work in business, government and academic positions. Prior to working with the Extension Service, he spent 16 years with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in the Division of Marketing and Development. He worked in four of the division’s six bureaus. He has also managed farm supply cooperatives in Alabama and Virginia with annual sales over four million dollars, worked for an international grain company, and was a research associate for Auburn University’s Agricultural Economics Department. He has a Master’s of Science Degree in Agricultural Economics from Auburn University and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Journalism from the University of Florida. He is the author of over 400 publications and has written professionally for print and broadcast media.

Les Harrison

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Permanent link to this article: http://bay.ifas.ufl.edu/newsletters/2013/05/10/kudzu-bug-makes-first-appearance-in-wakulla-county/

Escambia and Santa Rosa County Extension offer Irrigation Workshop for Row Crop Producers

Categories:

Panhandle Agriculture

January 25, 2013

January 25, 2013

Irrigation flyer workshop

Because of increased irrigation throughout Northwest Florida, UF IFAS Escambia and Santa Rosa County Extension are partnering to offer a morning workshop to help producers better utilize their irrigation systems and improve farm profitability.  We have three guest speakers that will be discussing topics pertinent to cotton, peanuts, and corn (see the schedule below).  Please consider joining us at the Walnut Hill Community Center (7850 Highway 97, Walnut Hill FL 32568) on Thursday, February 21st from 8:30- noon.   There will be a sponsored lunch, so reservations are strongly encouraged.  For more information or to reserve your spot, contact Libbie Johnson at 850-475-5230 or libbiej@ufl.edu.

Dr. Diane Rowland, UF Agronomist:

8:30-9:00 Overview of the irrigation scheduling options available for peanut and cotton

9:00-9:30 Overview of UF’s PeanutFARM website tool for scheduling irrigation

9:30-9:45 Break

9:45-10:10 Methods to increase the efficiency of irrigation and the most sensitive growth stages in peanut and cotton to drought stress.

Kris Balkcom, Alabama Cooperative Extension Peanut Specialist:

10:10-10:40 Installing Subsurface Drip

Mace Bauer, UF BMP and Irrigation Specialist

10:40-12:00 Corn irrigation scheduling and Methods to measure soil moisture

12:00 Lunch sponsored by Helton Irrigation

 

View and print the official program announcement: Irrigation Workshop for Row Crop Producers

 

PG

Author: Libbie Johnson – libbiej@ufl.edu

Agriculture agent at UF IFAS Escambia County Extension.

http://escambia.ifas.ufl.edu/

Libbie Johnson

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Army Worms Attack Winter Grazing in Jefferson County

Categories:

Panhandle Agriculture

November 16, 2012

November 16, 2012

Armyworms are still around. Scout cool season forages to make sure they don’t add stress to the crop.

Submitted by Jed Dillard, Jefferson County Agriculture Agent

Winter grazing planted in reasonably moist dirt is struggling to survive five to six weeks with little-to-no rain. The situation has gotten even worse in Jefferson County. Army worms have decimated some fields.

The late showing of worms in summer pasture produced a late crop of eggs. The eggs have hatched and, without sufficient cold weather, the larvae are eating aggressively. Timely treatment will control this pest. Check with your Extension Agent to analyze your specific situation and options.

For control options on armyworms download:  Insect Management in Pastures

dillardjed

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Permanent link to this article: http://bay.ifas.ufl.edu/newsletters/2012/11/16/army-worms-attack-winter-grazing-in-jefferson-county/

Mysterious 6 Legged Calf born in Jackson County Explained

Categories:

Panhandle Agriculture

September 28, 2012

September 28, 2012

Dr. Owen Rae, DVM, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, said “The condition is called polymelia or, an easier description, parasitic limbs.

Willard Yeomans said, “I have been milking cows for 58 years and have never seen anything like this!”

Willard Yeomans, who owns Oak Ridge Dairy located just north of Grand Ridge, discovered a very unique heifer calf in his calving pasture in early September.  The calf was born with an extra set of legs protruding from a small mass behind her navel.  Yeomans said, “I have been milking cows for 58 years and have never seen anything like this!”.  Yeomans invited his County Agent, Doug Mayo, Jackson County Extension, to come out and see this strange calf.  Mayo, said ” I have seen a calf with two front hooves, but never seen two extra limbs like this on a calf”.

Video News report:  WJHG Channel 7 news story about this 6 legged calf.

Mayo contacted Beef Cattle experts at the University of Florida to try to find out what may have caused this strange birth defect.  Dr. Owen Rae, DVM, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, said “The condition is called polymelia or, an easier description, parasitic limbs.  The cause is unknown. Some suggest it could be related to the failed development of a second fetus or it may be due to errant limb buds in the embryologic development of the fetus. It is unknown. These conditions are rare and are not likely heritable or likely to be repeated in future calves from the dam or the bull breeding.  The calf may be able to live a reasonable but obstructive life.”

Dr. Maarten Drost, DVM, Professor Emeritus University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine also shared information about this type or rare birth defect.  He said that “Polymelia is a descriptive term which literally means “many limbs” (poly=many and melos=limb, in Greek).  Conjoined twins are relatively rare in the bovine as well as in other species. They are the result of an error during very early embryo development, during the first 7 to 8 days. The inner cell mass consists entirely of totipotent cells, each cell capable of developing into a complete individual. When one of more cells get pinched off they go on to develop into identical twins. During fission some stem cells may connect with other stem cells from the twin and develop into an incomplete twin that remains attached. These twins share one placenta.  This is not a hereditary problem. Fraternal twins each have their own placenta.”

Yeomans knows this heifer will never become a productive dairy cow, so he is hoping someone might be interested in purchasing this unique animal.  The heifer is almost 4 weeks old now and really enjoys being bottle fed.  So far she is doing well, the strange legs don’t seem to bother her to much.

From behind you can see the soft mass behind the heifer’s navel that has two legs protruding from it.

 

Doug Mayo

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Permanent link to this article: http://bay.ifas.ufl.edu/newsletters/2012/09/28/mysterious-6-legged-calf-born-in-jackson-county-explained/

Marcus Edwards of Gadsden County Inducted into the National Association of Conservation Districts Hall of Fame.

Categories:

Panhandle Agriculture

September 21, 2012

September 21, 2012

At the Annual Meeting of the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Southern Region in Destin, Florida, July 30, 2012 Marcus Edwards of the Sawdust Community in Gadsden County was inducted into the NACD Hall of Fame.

Marcus was born September 4, 1934 in Sawdust, Florida, graduated from Greensboro High School in 1952, attended the University of Florida, and was drafted into United States Army in 1955. He served a year and a half behind the iron curtain.   Served our country for 2 years active duty, and 4 years in reserve. Marcus was honorably discharged in 1961.

Marcus entered the family farm business in 1957 growing shade tobacco on the Pewter Farm in Southside Sawdust, Florida. The tobacco industry left Florida in 1977. After growing his last crop of tobacco he continued farming growing pole beans, squash and other vegetables.

The tomato industry then came to Gadsden County, and Marcus grew tomatoes for several years. This venture was not profitable.  He grew tomatoes for some South Florida individuals on his own farm, but they lost money and left.   He then grew tomatoes for himself for about three years.  He lost all his retirement savings doing it. Finally, he decided it was time to quit farming when they wanted to pay $ 3.00 for a 30 lb. box of tomatoes.

He went to work for the University of Florida IFAS, North Florida Research & Education Center Quincy from 1995 to 1997 for the tomato spotted wilt virus program. From 1997-2002 he worked for Florida A & M University growing tomatoes for research on nitrogen fertilization. He grew spring and fall crops of tomatoes for the nitrate Best Management Practices project. While at FAMU he transferred to the USDA, NRCS unit in 2002 until present, assisting with research in biological control on insects.

Marcus served on the Overall Advisory Committee for the Gadsden County Extension Service and was Chairman for many years.  He is an active director of Gadsden County Farm Bureau and a member of Gadsden County Cattlemen’s Association.   He is an elected supervisor of Gadsden County Soil and Water Conservation District serving as its current chair.

Marcus received the Outstanding Young Farmer recognition in 1964 for exceptional progress in agriculture and contribution to the community sponsored by the Junior Chamber of Commerce. He received the Distinguish Service Award as Chairman of the Gadsden Soil and Water Conservation District for his many years of work on local and state issues to conserve our natural resources (soil, water, etc.). The award was given at the 54th Annual meeting of the Florida Association of Conservation Districts in Daytona Beach, August 5-8, 1999.  Marcus was recognized for being a “Leader in Helping the AFCD become a Viable Organization” by the Association of Florida Conservation Districts on August 12, 2006 at their annual meeting.

Judy Ludlow

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Washington County Update – Wet Fields!

Categories:

Panhandle Agriculture

August 31, 2012

August 31, 2012

Haying equipment is idle until several days of sunshine dry the fields enough for hay to be baled and barned.

There is a growing anxiety about the corn harvest with its high moisture content and lack of available storage. Field conditions are wet making it hard for equipment to cross fields.

Cotton fields need to dry out or disease pressure will rise. Diseases such as white mold and leafspot in peanuts are a concern, too.

Peanuts planted in early April are nearing the time to plow them up. There is apprehension the excess rain from Hurricane Isaac will cause these mature peanuts to sprout in the ground.

Hay harvest has stopped with the rain. Pastures are growing at a rapid pace. Large flights of army worm moths are active. Most hayfields and crops will experience greater pressure as worms move out of harvested corn fields.

Soybean rust is present and should be sprayed with TopGuard as soon as weather allows. The optimum time to spray cogongrass, smutgrass, briars, and other difficult-to-control weeds is here. Submitted by Andy Andreasen, Washington County Extension Director

Les Harrison

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Cotton Leaf Spot Severe in Santa Rosa County

Categories:

Panhandle Agriculture

August 24, 2012

August 24, 2012

Target spot/Corynespora leaf spot disease has increased in recent weeks.  Many Santa Rosa County fields have been treated at least once with either Twinline or Headline fungicides.

The frequent showers appear to be a critical trigger for disease development and spread. During the past week target spot has caused over 50 percent defoliation in some older planted fields.

Target spot seems to be worse in older planted, rank fields, regardless of the variety. It has generally started at the bottom of the plant and worked its way up the stalk.

Be aware this disease can be a significant problem and late fungicide applications are not very effective. Target leaf spots usually are up to ¼ to ½ inches in diameter and have a distinct “target spot” pattern with alternating light and dark brown bands of dead tissue.

According to Dr. Bob Kemerait, University of Georgia Extension Specialist, research has shown both the benefits of applying fungicides to reduce defoliation and the importance of timing. Fungicide applications which are too early (this year, first square) or too late (later weeks of bloom) have not worked as well as those applications around the early weeks of bloom.

Dr. Kemerait said he would consider spraying fields at this time if a field is at risk based upon conditions described above, and defoliation and disease are present but not too advanced in the field, cotton is within the first four to six weeks of bloom, and cotton is still four to six weeks away from defoliation. Headline (6 fl oz/A) is Dr. Kemerait’s current standard fungicide treatment, followed by Twinline (8.5 fl oz/A). Quadris is also an effective fungicide.

Minor leaf spotting caused by Stemphylium, Alternaria, and/or Cercospora fungi in cotton has appeared. Leaf spotting attributed to these fungi is associated with a potash deficiency and has not been shown to respond to fungicide treatments. Individual leaf spot lesions of Stemphylium, Alternaria, and Cercospora are much smaller and circular in shape than Corynespora leaf spots. [References: A. Hagan. Alabama IPM Communicator. Vol.3, No. 14. and B. Kemerait. UGA Extension Row Crop Disease Updates for 3, 17, and 23 August 2012.]

Michael Donahoe

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Washington County Update – Everything is Growing

Categories:

Panhandle Agriculture

August 24, 2012

August 24, 2012

White mold has been found in Washington County peanuts.

Frequent rains over the past week have everything growing rapidly, weeds included. Rust in soybeans, white mold in peanuts and beans, and leaf spot in cotton have made appearances. Almost everyone is behind on their spray schedule which is a big concern.

Some fields in south Washington County are just too wet for spray rigs to spray without rutting up the fields. Topguard has been the most effective product to stop rust in soybeans.

Hay and corn harvest has been impossible with the threat of rain almost every day. Loopers and army worms are active on almost all crops. Scouting is recommended at least once and preferably twice a week.

It is a good time to wean calves to allow brood cows to put on flesh going into the winter. It is much easier and less expensive to feed a fleshy cow through the winter than a thin one. Weaning is strongly recommended by September 1 if possible.

Les Harrison

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Permanent link to this article: http://bay.ifas.ufl.edu/newsletters/2012/08/24/washington-county-update-everything-is-growing/

Washington County Update

Categories:

Panhandle Agriculture

August 6, 2012

August 6, 2012

Washington County cattle are enjoying the results of ample rain

Timely showers have crops in very good shape. Corn harvest is underway. Peanuts, cotton and soybeans are progressing nicely.  Hay harvest is halted until fair weather but forages are continue to grow rapidly.  The condition of cattle is good with good pasture production.

Submitted by Andy Andreasen, Washington County Extension Director

Les Harrison

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Permanent link to this article: http://bay.ifas.ufl.edu/newsletters/2012/08/06/washington-county-update-4/

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