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The Greener Side: Florida Sets the Purity Standard for Other States to Follow

Although it’s nice to hear the word honey as a term of endearment from a...

Recipe Spotlight: Exclusive Interview with Delicious Tips for Family Cooking

The only full-time agriculture chef in the United States, Justin Timineri, sat down with us...

Harvest Time: Slicing Watermelon Fact from Fiction

There’s almost nothing better on a hot summer day than a tasty ice-cold slice of...

Florida Roots: The Latt Maxcy Heritage

In the city of Frostproof, The Friendly City, Latimer Maxcy established one of the largest...

Publisher Letter: Getting the blueberries off the bush

While many things in the world of agriculture have changed over the past year, several...

Recipe Spotlight: Red, white and blue food for the holiday

THERE’S NOTHING LIKE like the red, white and blue on a patriotic holiday. It’s the...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: A spoonful of facts and forecasts for Florida blueberries

WHILE MANY OTHER industries have suffered during difficult economic times, Florida agriculture remains one of...

Recipe Spotlight: All you need is citrus and 30 minutes (or less)

A little splash will do ya when it comes to adding flavor … as long...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Florida should be in control of its own future

In the photos: Left, Rainbow Springs in Dunnellon; center, Blue Spring State Park near Orange...

Recipe Spotlight: Proper Pomegranate Procedure 101

Pomegranates might have been the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, but since no...

@griTech: Enlisting cellular technology for better fuel management

WITH ALL OF THE AMAZING technologies that are literally available at the tip of a...

Recipe Spotlight: Best cooking methods for the best catch

FISH IS LIKE OLD-FASHIONED PEANUTS. It comes in two flavors – plain and salted. Some...

@griTech: Hunting tools of the 21st century

WHILE HUMAN BEINGS have been hunting since the dawn of creation, the ways this sacred...

Recipe Spotlight: A legume by any other name would taste as salty

Where would we be without peanuts and peanut butter? Kids would be eating a lot...

@griTech: New ag software aids timekeeping in the field

A new electronic timekeeping software makes it easier for growers to track employee hours in...

Recipe Spotlight: The Fine Line Between Food and Art

We taste with our eyes. If food doesn’t look good, our eyes tell our stomach...

Recipe Spotlight: How Local Apiarists Like to Eat Their Honey

When Pat Allen goes to work, he expects to be stung. But his hurt is...

@griTech: The Right Bio-Tool for the Job

There is a costly import from Brazil that Floridians don’t want or need: the fire...

@griTech: Plant Growth in Outer Space

One of the amazing aspects of the modern technology we’ve known over the past few...

Recipe Spotlight: A Four-Course Meal for the Strawberry Fan

Strawberries are like potato chips … it’s hard to eat just one. And since we...

@griTech: Tools Used on the Farm that Promote Precision and Conservation

A decade ago, Rich Budell notes, a GPS device wasn’t all that common. Times, he...

Recipe Spotlight: Jazz up your jam with Florida fruit

Way back in the Dark Ages, about 1978, I wrote my first food page. It...

@griTech: Students learn the value of water through science

During the school year, Melissa Gulvin organizes school trips to agricultural locations, so students attending...

Recipe spotlight: Beef for every day of the week

Remember Clara Peller? No? She was the 81-year-old bewigged and wrinkled lady with a bad...

Observing a major pest for cattle producers — the gallinipper

In the photo: Entomologist Phil Kaufman shows the size difference between the invasive Asian tiger...

Home on the ranch: Cow camp house offers rustic lifestyle

Ranch-style houses proliferate in suburbia across the United States. But the true Florida ranch house...

Life after farming: Bill and Maxi Adams

| Couple is feeling at home at Lake Howard Heights | Bill Adams grew his...

At the helm of Warner’s ag program

| Lauren Lewis laying the foundation for tomorrow’s industry | After earning her Bachelor’s and...

Recipe Spotlight: How a good hunt turns into a great meal

The hunt is over. The kill is cleaned. … Now, what do you do with...

@griTech: Getting down to the bottom of the problem at the bay

Man-made disasters can create enormous problems for our natural environment, and the BP oil spill...

Recipe Spotlight: Patriotic desserts made with Florida ingredients

July 4: Dad’s done. The ribs are bare and the corn cobs look like modern...

Harvest time: Organic blueberry growers battle odds in niche market

Seventy-one-year-old Benny McLean Jr.’s family used to grow citrus organically before anybody cared about organics...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Planting the seeds for growth in the Florida ag industry

Florida agriculture has played an important role in Florida’s 500-year history, providing food and fiber...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: A race against time

Citrus makes up roughly $9 billion of Florida agriculture’s $100 billion yearly contribution to the...

@griTech: Polk State College has a plan for tomorrow’s farming industry

Florida farmers will have much needed help soon with complex government regulations and technological equipment. ...

Florida Roots: La Florida, home of the noble cracker horse

Crack! An undeniably commanding sound when heard from a ten to twelve foot long whip...

Recipe Spotlight: A tribute to citrus and seafood combinations

Ham and eggs, peanut butter and jelly, citrus and fish . . . some things...

Recipe Spotlight: Bringing Home the Bacon and the Bunny

Cooking wild pig doesn’t have to be a boar. We can harvest wild hogs all...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Operation Outdoor Freedom Update

Two years ago, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services launched Operation Outdoor Freedom...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Farm to School Program Update

As Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture, improving the nutritional value of school meals by adding more...

Recipe Spotlight: No White after Labor Day (OR in the Kitchen When Cooking with Pomegranates)

We grow a lot of fruits in Florida. Most folks barely know about some of...

@griTech: Using Smartphone Apps for Better Irrigation Management

A lot of people today use smartphones and mobile app technology to have up-to-date information...

Recipe Spotlight: Celebrating Some of Florida’s Fall Bounty

Fall lasts about three days in our neck of the woods, or so it seems...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: ‘My Florida Farm Weather’ App

When deciding whether to irrigate during frost-freeze conditions or when to apply nutrients during wet...

Recipe Spotlight: Mixing it Up with the Culinary Wealth of Florida

We live in a culinary smoothie. Florida food is a bit of this and a...

Recipe Spotlight: Four ideas for ‘crabby’ meals

There was a time when “crabby” was an insult. These days it’s delicious. Stone crabs...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: ‘Florida Ag: By the Numbers’ Report

More than 500 years ago, when European settlers landed in Florida, livestock were raised and...

Recipe Spotlight: Tropical Fruits Within Reach

Did you ever sit back, cross your legs on a hassock, pull your hat over...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: About the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program

In November, families representing 50 operational farms and ranches from all across the state gathered...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Expansion of the Panama Canal

Florida exports $4 billion in agricultural commodities each year to more than 140 other countries...

@griTech: Trending Now in Residential Landscaping

Residential landscaping is a big deal in Central Florida and it’s a labor of love...

Recipe Spotlight: Creating NEW Interest in Old Favorites

Okay, the holidays are over. Now we settle back into the same-ol’, same-ol’ routines. That...

Recipe Spotlight: You cook Tomātoes, we cook Tomătoes!

Is it toe-may-to or toe-maa-to? That depends on where you are from and how you...

Commisioner’s AgriCorner: Trade Development Mission to Panama

This year, the Panama Canal will celebrate its 100th anniversary since the first ship passed...

@griTech: Drone Applications for Agriculture

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones as they are sometimes called, are emerging as new...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: A ‘Nutrislice’ of Florida’s School Nutrition Program

Florida’s sunshine and temperate climate provide for more than a great vacation destination. Our unique...

Recipe Spotlight: Get Kids Eating with Florida-Inspired Cooking

The way kids fuss over food, it’s a wonder any of them grow up. We...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: ‘Don’t Pack a Pest’ Campaign

The psyllids in our citrus groves, the pythons in the Everglades, and the lovebugs on...

Recipe Spotlight: A Dash of Sunshine for Southern Food Icons

There’s nothing like taking something Southern and making it something Southerner—a dish with Florida flair...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Celebrating 100 years of extension

This year, Florida’s land grant universities—the University of Florida and Florida A&M University—celebrate the 100th...

Recipe Spotlight: Peaches on parade in the kitchen

It’s Florida and life’s a peach . . . at least it will be if...

AgriNews: Farm Credit of Central Florida declares 2014 patronage refunds to members

Farm Credit of Central Florida Chairman of the Board, David J. Stanford, a Winter Garden...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Proposed EPA rule will redefine ‘waters’ of the U.S.

Despite the federal government’s long history of egregious overreach and land grabs, it recently outdid...

Recipe Spotlight: Give your favorite desserts the blue switch

Life is all about choices. Pick and choose what you want to do with what...

@griTech: Sparkleberry may offer new hope to blueberry growers

Florida’s blueberry growers spend $6,000 to $8,000 an acre on pine bark to make sandy...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Committed to saving Florida’s groves

As many of you know, one of America’s favorite beverages is at grave risk.  Though...

7 reasons why grapefruit is a GREAT fruit

They are pretty and they smell good. Inside, they look like marvels of engineering. Or...

Looking for Florida-Friendly plants? (There’s a NEW app for that!)

Thanks to a new technological development by the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and...

Florida Roots: Uniting hunters to help feed the hungry

They say that all great ideas come from finding a solution to a problem.  The...

From Fancy to Jerky— Cooking for Wild Game

Bringing home the bacon is easy if you have money and a store nearby. But...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award recipients

Florida’s farmers and ranchers have not only fueled our people and economy for the last...

FFA Corner: Ag Time with Abby – How FFA can help feed the hungry

Hello Everyone! I’m very excited to be a new member of the Central Florida Ag...

Recipe Spotlight: How to cook like a pro with food from your farmers’ market

A foodie in a farmers’ market is like being a kid in an old fashioned...

AgriBiz Profiles

Advantage Hedging & Topping: Citrus Trees Responding to Nutrition and ‘Drastic Cuts’ Like many people...

@griTech: New technology strives to give shoppers even fresher produce

There’s nothing more frustrating than picking out strawberries at the grocery store, just to find...

Florida’s roadmap to living healthy

We think we know what the face of hunger looks like when we see starving...

FFA Corner: Ag Time with Abby – Serving the community, protecting your show animals

“Living to Serve” is the last phrase in the FFA motto, and Florida FFA members...

Grab-and-go citrus smoothies to help you get-up-and-go

I’m late. I’m late for a very important These hectic days it seems like we...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Woman of the Year in Agriculture

For 30 years, Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer...

Creative prep and presentation for the holidays

If food looks wonderful, chances are that it tastes as good as it looks. Our...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Our work is not done

It has been a great privilege to represent Florida as Commissioner of Agriculture for the...

FFA Corner: Ag Time with Abby – Adding STEM classes to Dundee Elementary’s ag program

As I reflect on things I am thankful for this month, I would like to...

Recipe Spotlight: Making the perfect holiday gift basket with Florida produce

IT’S ALMOST CHRISTMAS, BUT THAT’S NOT NEWS. The problem is what to get for the...

FFA Corner: Ag Time with Abby

| ’Tis the season to serve and think about your future in the ag industry...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Florida farmers stay one step ahead of winter

KNOWN AS THE NATION’S “winter salad bowl,” Florida produces an abundance of the freshest and...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: With increased trade, comes new threats

OUR ECONOMY is more global than ever. Boundaries, currencies, and cultures are no longer impediments...

Ag Time with Abby: Can you smell what’s in the air?

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Can you smell that? It smells like pigs, cows, barbecue, cake, walking...

Recipe Spotlight: Cooking with your edible garden

THE RADISHES are poking their little green heads up in the garden. It won’t be...

Ag Time with Abby: Day-by-day highlights from the Polk County Youth Fair

Photo captions: (Top left) The Fat Chance Show Team won the Team Herdsman Award. (Bottom...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Woe to us if we don’t stop the EPA’s proposed regulations on W.O.T.U.S.

The EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) has once again made an attempt to expand federal...

Recipe Spotlight: Sharing the red, juicy strawberry bounty

WE HARVEST STRAWBERRIES in spring and pull off the road to buy them at farm...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Strengthening Florida’s livestock industry

FLORIDA’S FARMERS and ranchers face a variety of threats, including pests, disease, and market changes...

Ag Time with Abby: Spotlighting the Frostproof FFA chapter

In the photo: Members of the Frostproof Middle FFA get together for a photo on...

One student’s journey in the 4-H Leadership Program

| Thomas Perry discovers his ability to be a frontrunner for his community | AT...

Recipe Spotlight: Pizza night made delicious with a Fresh-from-Florida pie

WHEN IS A CHEESE and tomato sandwich not a sandwich? When it’s a pizza...

Ag Time with Abby: Spotlighting FFA member Miss Bailey Buchanon

BAILEY BUCHANON, 17, of Lake Gibson FFA, was recently selected to represent the Polk County...

PCFB President’s Column: Polk Agri-Fest features special and big-name guests

AS I WRITE this column, Polk County Agri-Fest is in full swing! Our special guests...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: An update on Operation Outdoor Freedom and Camp Prairie

FLORIDA IS HOME to more than 1.5 million veterans who have served our nation proudly...

Recipe Spotlight: A good bell pepper deserves a great stuffing

NOW IS THE TIME to get stuffing. Not turkeys, that’s months away, but sweet peppers...

Ag Time with Abby: Memoirs of an Ag Literacy Day reader

AG LITERACY DAY was held April 21, and our local FFA chapters spent their day...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Growing ‘Fresh From Florida’

MORE THAN 47,000 farms in Florida work day in and day out to produce the...

PCFB President’s Column: Legislative Wrap-Up event gets bumped

EACH YEAR, immediately following the end of the Legislative Session, the Polk County Farm Bureau...

Recipe Spotlight: In peach anticipation

ANTICIPATION can be disappointing. We were at a dog show in Georgia — you know...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Century Pioneer Family Farms

SINCE THE ARRIVAL of European explorers in the 1500s, agriculture has played a critical role...

Ag Time with Abby: Class of 2015, you did it!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL the graduating seniors — the Class of 2015! You have made it...

Ag Time with Abby: Being part of the revolution

IN THE PHOTOS: Left, FFA youth ham it up during the 87th Annual Florida FFA...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Employing every tool in the toolbox to find a solution for HLB

FLORIDA GROWERS just harvested the smallest orange crop in nearly 50 years, and all because...

PCFB President’s Column: Many deserve thanks for giving ag a boost in legislative session

“WHY DO YOU FARM?” This is a question that most farmers and ranchers hear over...

Recipe Spotlight: When life gives you lemons, make more than just lemonade

WHEN FLORIDA gives you lemons, you should make something tasty. Maybe tart. Could be tangy...

Ag Time with Abby: There’s something for everyone in ag

IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN. The school buses will in route, the bells will be ringing...

Recipe Spotlight: What’s cooking this fall from your local farmers’ market

IT’S TOO darn hot ! That’s a given in Central Florida. But we still have...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Bringing Florida’s harvest to school cafeterias

IN THE PHOTO: Since the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services assumed responsibility of...

Ag Time with Abby: Local agri-educators and why teaching is their passion

THE 2015-2016 school year is well under way! We have a lot of exciting events...

Recipe Spotlight: What to cook up with your fresh catch

THERE’S SOMETHING fishy in the state of Florida. And it’s all over the place. Just...

Ag Time with Abby: The #20BuckTruck fundraiser for the Polk County Youth Fair

THE POLK COUNTY FFA chapters and 4-H clubs have been all about fundraising this year!...

Ag Time with Abby: FFA wants to amplify on ag causes and careers

{Amp•li•fy — increase of volume} THE THEME of the 2014-15 National FFA year was to...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: The time for bold water policy is now

WATER IS THE BIGGEST long-term challenge facing Florida. And that is exactly why I have...

Recipe Spotlight: Cooking with herbs to dress up any plate

FRESH IS BIG in the world of food. And food doesn’t get much fresher than...

Recipe Spotlight: Color your plate red and green for the holidays

THE REASON for Christmas , the birth of baby Jesus, goes back more than 2,000...

Ag Time with Abby: New FFA chapter takes root

IT IS ALWAYS exciting to have a new chapter established in the FFA, especially when...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Water is top priority this legislative session

THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE will begin its annual 60-day legislative session on January 12, and I’m...

Ag Time with Abby: Careers in ag — Top 10 fields of interest

AS WE ARE KICKING OFF our new year, I am sure most, if not all...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Rolling out a multifaceted plan for continued support of Florida citrus

FLORIDA IS KNOWN for its white sandy beaches, world-class attractions, and (my personal favorite) citrus...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: State preserves record 2,500 acres of environmentally sensitive ag land

FOR CENTURIES, Florida’s farmers and ranchers have served as Florida’s original conservationists and great stewards...

Ag Time with Abby: What does ag education actually teach?

IN RECENT REPORTS, there has been talk of doing away with agriculture education due to...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Strengthening Florida’s livestock industry

State’s Bronson Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory modernized FLORIDA’S FARMERS AND RANCHERS face a variety of...

Summer BreakSpot: Spreading Florida’s agricultural bounty when school is out

AS FLORIDA’S COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE, directing more locally grown products to Florida’s school cafeterias and...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Farm to School program update

THE BEGINNING OF EACH school year ushers in a whole new set of experiences for...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Judi Whitson is the 2016 Woman of the Year in Agriculture

AGRICULTURE IN FLORIDA is high-tech. It’s not Old McDonald’s Farm anymore, and in order to...

Recipe Spotlight: Cooking ideas for your fresh catch

THE SHOPPER in the family knows how pricey meat is. It’s easy to spend what...

Ag Time with Abby: Recreation and fun for the whole family while supporting FFA

WHEN I SAY we’re off to a great year, boy, oh boy, do I mean...

Ag Time with Abby: Farm highlight at Roosevelt Academy

OVER THE PAST few years, schools around Polk County have been adding new components to...

Recipe Spotlight: There’s citrus you can pair with that

ONE OF THE JOYS of living in Central Florida is just-picked citrus. We had citrus...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner: Just for wounded veterans

TWO AMERICAN SOLDIERS sustained significant injuries across the street from one another, a year apart...

Ag Time with Abby: Celebrating the many ‘firsts’ from the Polk County Youth Fair

THE 2017 ANNUAL POLK COUNTY YOUTH FAIR has come and gone. Every year is a...

Recipe Spotlight: What to do with all those strawberries from your U-pick adventures

SO, YOU AND THE KIDS went strawberry picking. Or, you and the kids went strawberry...

Recipe Spotlight: It’s easy cooking green

  For good health and good rating, snap the beans and boil the collards FARM-GROWN...

Recipe Spotlight: Favorite Recipes that Paint Your Plate Blue

WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF FUN cooking and eating Central Florida blueberries since I...

Commissioner’s AgriCorner

Preserving Our Way of Life With more than 1,000 people moving to Florida every day...

Recipe Spotlight

Adding Citrus to Your Summertime Cookout We have determined that every day is cookout day...

@griTech

Looking to the Soil for Solutions in the Fight Against Greening On 15 acres at...

Harvest Time: Catching up With Tom West Blueberries

How Did the Farm’s Switch from Citrus to Berries Pan Out? by MARY TOOTHMAN  The...

Florida Roots

Florida’s Favorite Red, Juicy, Triangle by MARY TOOTHMAN There’s no question that watermelon is a...

Harvest Time

Farm Safety 101 While the total number of agricultural fatalities has been decreasing in recent...

AgriShopper: Tools for Making Cooking Easier

When you live in an agriculture minded state and strive to keep a healthy lifestyle...

Kidz Outdoors Forming Relationships, Fighting Childhood Diseases

by MATT NORMAN The great outdoors have long served as a way to explore and...

Polk County Farm Bureau President’s Letter: December 2019

Polk County Farm Bureau members traveled to Tallahassee this month to hold discussions of key...

Ag Rec Update: The Florida Python Challenge™ 2020 Python Bowl

The Florida Everglades is an extraordinary ecosystem unlike any other in the world! It is...

In the Heartland: Mark Your Calendar

Cattlewomen’s Annual Fun Shoot Funds to Go to Scholarships by DAPHNE RENELUS If you’ve never...

Summer Didn’t Slow FFA Member Participation

by CHARLEIGH WOOD, Polk County FFA Federation President School may have been out for the...

Plenty of FFA Events on Tap for Fall

by LINDSEY TRUE, Polk County FFA Federation Vice President Hey everybody! Welcome to the 2022-23...

Kicking Off Competition Season With Fall Preliminaries

by TESSA MULLIS, Polk County FFA Federation Officer With school back in session, FFA chapters...

Students Accept the Challenge to Promote Agriculture Literacy

by JASMYN BILLANO, Polk County FFA Federation Vice-President From hurricanes to cold fronts, Polk County...

FFA Corner

Students Score Well in Competitions, Gear Up for Sub-Districts by JESSICA ANDERSON Polk County FFA...

Students Busy Participating in Events and Preparing for the Fair

by HANNAH CLAYTON, Polk County FFA Federation Officer December was a busy month for many...

Polk Youth Fair Has Much to Offer Beyond the Animals

by MYKAELA BILLINGSLEY, Polk County FFA Federation Officer Photo by TOM HAGERTY This year the...

Polk Students Rise to the Top at State Fair

by JESSICA ANDERSON The Polk County students have once again made their mark at the...

Polk FFA Members Wrap Up a Busy Month

by CHARLEIGH WOOD, Polk County FFA Federation President The month of March has been nothing...

Polk County Year in Review

by JESSICA ANDERSON To say this year has been a busy year may be a...

Polk County Year in Review

by JESSICA ANDERSON To say this year has been a busy year may be a...

Busy Summer to Be Followed by Even Busier School Year

The 2023-2024 school year is off to a busy start! Our students attended several events...

Contests and Competitions Get the Year Started Right

by JASMYN BILLANO, Polk County FFA Federation President School bells are ringing, and fall is...

George Jenkins High, Bok Academy Middle to Represent District in Forestry Contest

by JESSIE WHITEHEAD, Polk County FFA Federation Vice President Fall is officially upon us, and...

Riding for the Brand

by ALEX BRYANT, Frostproof High School There are many men on this earth,Both cowboys and...

There’s No Slowing Down Over the Holidays for Polk FFA

by JESSICA ANDERSON Throughout November and the beginning of December, Polk County FFA members were...

Polk FFA and 4-H Members Celebrate Wins at Youth Fair

by CLAYTON KEENE, Lake Wales Senior, Polk County FFA Federation Officer January has been jam-packed...

From Youth Fair to Agri-Fest and All the Fun Between

by JESSICA ANDERSON Spring is always a busy season in the world of agriculture but...

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