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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “financial”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS) in Florida has announced fiscal year (FY) 2026 (Oct. 1, 2025 through Sept. 30, 2026) financial assistance opportunities for agricultural producers and forestry operations. The assistance is available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). While NRCS accepts applications year-round, Florida producers and landowners should …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA NASS), cooperating with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, recently released Florida’s 2024–25 Citrus Summary: Production, Price Per Box and Production by County. PRODUCTION PLUNGESFlorida’s citrus production in 2024–25 was 14.6 million boxes, down 28% from the previous season’s 20.3 million boxes. Orange production dropped 32% to …
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced the launch of a centralized online information hub for the state’s disaster block grant program for agricultural producers impacted by hurricanes in 2023 and 2024. The new webpage — FDACS.gov/BlockGrant — will serve as the official source for updates, eligibility criteria and application details as they become available. “Florida’s agriculture industry was hit …
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins appeared today at Cooperative Producers Inc. in Felda, Florida, to meet with agricultural leaders and growers to announce additional U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) assistance to help producers recover from Hurricanes Idalia, Debby, Helene and Milton. Rollins signed a block grant agreement with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) to provide …
Recent reports from Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) and California Citrus Mutual (CCM) indicate that major support is likely forthcoming for the U.S. citrus industry. RECORD FLORIDA FUNDING FCM reports that the Florida Legislature continues to finalize a budget for the 2025–26 state fiscal year with a vote expected in both the Senate and House chambers on June 18. Senate President Ben Albritton, has advocated for record citrus …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) is providing an additional $650 million in funding for the new Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program and is extending the application deadline to Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. With a total of $2.65 billion available, MASC helps specialty crop producers expand markets and manage higher costs. FSA is also increasing …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is taking steps to streamline and provide flexibilities for environmental compliance requirements for 2024 hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton. It is allowing its Farm Service Agency (FSA) to expedite approval of payments and practice implementation for Emergency Conservation Program (ECP), Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) and Tree Assistance Program (TAP) applicants impacted by the …
Producers may sign up for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s $2 billion Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program through Jan. 8, 2025. MASC provides financial assistance to specialty crop producers to help expand domestic markets or develop new markets for their crops. MASC helps specialty crop producers offset higher marketing costs related to: ELIGIBILITY MASC covers numerous commercially marketed …
The application period is now open for Georgia’s SAFETY 24 Hurricane Helene Relief Loan Program. The low-interest, emergency loan program will provide Georgia farmers funds to recover from Hurricane Helene damage, replace lost income and continue farm operations until additional federal aid is delivered. Farmers who suffered losses from Hurricane Helene and reside in a Federal Emergency Management (FEMA)-designated disaster …
Preliminary crop and infrastructure losses from Hurricane Milton are estimated between $1.5 billion and $2.5 billion. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) reported the preliminary estimate a week after Milton made landfall on Oct. 9 near Siesta Key in Sarasota County as a Category 3 hurricane. The information in the FDACS document, Preliminary Estimates of Damage to …
Eligible Florida farmers, ranchers and growers impacted by Hurricane Milton can apply for low-interest or interest-free loans of up to $500,000, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) announced. Impacted agricultural producers can learn more and apply here for the Agriculture and Aquaculture Producers Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program. Loans may be used to restore, repair or replace …
Florida farmers, ranchers and growers impacted by Hurricane Helene can apply for interest-free loans through the Agriculture and Aquaculture Producers Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program. Eligible agriculture and aquaculture producers can use loans to restore, repair or replace essential physical property — including fences, equipment, greenhouses and other buildings — or to remove vegetative debris. The loan availability was announced …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expanding the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) program to include medium-sized and small businesses. Eligible specialty crop growers can apply for assistance for expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification. The program includes assistance for 2024 and 2025 expenses. Producers can apply for assistance on their calendar year …
Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) recently reported that the Florida Legislature’s fiscal year 2024–25 budget includes $47 million to aid the state’s citrus industry. The funding for various programs is: Additionally, the Florida Legislature’s budget includes a $100 million annual appropriation for the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, which aims to protect working agricultural operations from development by establishing conservation easements. …
Alico, Inc.’s Citrus Division reported it had “significantly lower than anticipated” early and mid-season orange production for the fiscal quarter that ended Dec. 31, 2023. It blamed the reduction on the ongoing effects of 2022’s Hurricane Ian. Although the early and mid-season crops were lower than anticipated, Alico still harvested more boxes, produced more pound solids and received higher prices …
Seventy-five U.S. House of Representatives members have asked House and Senate appropriations leaders for an H-2A visa guestworker wage freeze in an upcoming spending package. The text of the representatives’ letter to appropriations leaders follows: “We write with shared concerns regarding the annual adjustment to the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR). Now in 2024, the H-2A labor rates paid by …
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson recently announced that farmers can apply for the Florida Farm Tax Exempt Agricultural Materials (TEAM) Card beginning Jan. 1, 2024. The card can be used for sales-tax-exempt purchases of agricultural materials. The Florida Department of Revenue will accept online and mailed applications. The plastic wallet-sized Florida Farm TEAM Card is a physical alternative to …
The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA) was among more than 140 U.S. agriculture organizations that recently urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to revise the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) for 2022. In 2022, President Biden signed into law appropriations legislation providing $3.74 billion in ERP assistance to agricultural producers impacted by numerous natural disasters in 2022. FFVA and …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated numerous Georgia counties as eligible for disaster relief for a variety of reasons. DROUGHT USDA designated 20 Georgia counties as primary natural disaster areas due to recent drought conditions. This allows the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to provide emergency loans to producers recovering from natural disasters. Producers in primary and contiguous counties have …
Alico Citrus, a division of Alico, Inc., harvested less than half its citrus in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2023 as it did in the prior year. The decline was largely the result of impacts from Hurricane Ian in September 2022. Alico has approximately 49,000 citrus acres in seven Florida counties. The company reported on Dec. 6 that it …
