TALLAHASSEE – Early indicators are pointing to a good spiny lobster season, say Florida’s commercial fishermen who began harvesting the prized seafood delicacy earlier this month.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Saccharin, the artificial sweetener used in diet drinks and other consumer products, has an unexpected sweet agricultural benefit: It helps soybean plants ward off a disease that threatens the entire soybean industry, University of Florida researchers say.

BARTOW -- Florida is poised to turn the tragic Gulf of Mexico oil spill into a financial boon with alternative energy products, a Winter Haven legislator says. “Perhaps the silver lining relative to this offshore oil spill is that Florida will finally come in the forefront,” said Baxter Troutman, the senior member of Polk County’s legislative delegation, “and get into the alternative energy business.”

USDA scientists help agencies battle against invasive plants

West Palm Beach, FL — Babies in this nursery may not be cute and cuddly, but they will grow up to be among South Florida’s important environmental defenders.

Unique, Effective & Affordable -- TPIE 2011 will focus on trendsetters. Don't miss out!

The Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition (TPIE) is known around the world as the most unique trade show in the horticulture industry! A favorite among retailers, interiorscapers, growers. designers, media and more, TPIE is the show you cannot afford to miss. If you sell tropical plants and/or products related to them, or if you wish to reach the retail, interiorscape or foliage grower marketplace, now is your chance to exhibit in this unique show.

National Honey Board Launches SavetheHoneyBear.com to save 100% pure honey, threatened by honey-flavored syrups

Firestone, Colo. – Everyone knows what’s in the honey bear bottle—or so we thought. One of America’s most timeless kitchen staples, honey, is fading from the marketplace, and an entire industry is in danger.

LAKELAND, Fla. (July 9, 2010) –The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today released its final orange forecast for the 2009-2010 season showing no change to the 133.6 million box crop.

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species News:

NMFS provides the attached map of the July 12, 2010 expanded oil spill related fishery closure in the Gulf of Mexico with overlays that show the expanded closure in relation to the already established Atlantic Highly Migratory Species fishery closed areas in the Gulf of Mexico. This information is provided for general information purposes to holders of Atlantic HMS permits. Other fishery closed areas exist in other fisheries that are not shown on this map.

“We appreciate the input of the public regarding the acquisition of land for Everglades restoration. As we have said all along, the District is not considering an increase in millage rates in order to complete a transaction with the United States Sugar Corporation.

ROFFS has continued to monitor the oil and the ocean conditions associated with the distribution and likely transport of oil with the help of many collaborators since April 21, 2010. Over the last few days it has become increasingly clear that the surface oil has been pushed westward away from the Big Bend area of Florida toward Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. The western counties of Florida still have oil on their beaches, as well as, in the near shore and offshore areas. The winds and currents in the coastal zone continues to favor this westward motion.

WINTER HAVEN -- On Tuesday, July 13th, 2010, Central Florida Media Group (CFMG) hosted the unveiling for the premier edition of Central Florida AgNews (CFAN). The evening was attended by contributing staff, family and friends of CFMG, as well as advertisers and clients. Other honored guests included representatives from USF Polytechnic BlueSky business accelerator, local farmers and ranchers, Polk County Farm Bureau (PCFB) executives and board members, and esteemed business colleagues.

June 28, 2010 - GAINESVILLE - The steep decline in the state’s rural land values continued in 2009, but may level off later this year, according to the annual Florida Land Value Survey from the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

June 28, 2010 - Commissioner of Agriculture Charles Bronson recently issued a statement reassuring consumers that Florida seafood is both safe and abundant, despite concerns over impacts from the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

As the economy shifts from recession to recovery, The Landscape Show offers great tools for you to keep up-to-speed on market activity and opportunities, reassess business relationships --both old and new, and take advantage of a changing industry.

WASHINGTON, June 18, 2010—Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that on June 22, 2010 USDA's Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) will publish a proposed rule, as required by the 2008 farm bill and through existing authority under the Packers and Stockyards Act, that would provide significant new protections for producers against unfair, fraudulent or retaliatory practices.