Agriculture

A federal grant for $1 million will help Florida researchers gather economic data and create a decision-making tool for nursery growers.

Officials say some farmers may have avoided additional devastating losses from Helene because they had not yet replanted after Debby hit just eight weeks before.

Greenhouse and nursery-grown plants, particularly holiday poinsettias, might be in short supply and cost more because of hurricane damage this year.

A national report finds Florida and other states with dangerous levels of heat are requesting a lot more temporary migrant farmworkers.

Florida lawmakers are considering a pilot program to help curb food insecurity. A proposal would help charities like food banks get discounted prices for fresh food.

The bills would also use some of the money to pay for clean water projects and keep agricultural lands from being developed.

Egg prices are rising partly because of an avian flu that's spreading throughout the country, but that's not all. The cost feeding the birds and packing the eggs is also on the rise.

A soon-to-be-released report will estimate Florida’s agriculture industry sustained about $1.07 billion in damages from Hurricane Ian, with growers of citrus, vegetable and horticultural crops taking the biggest hits from the wind, rains and flooding. But citrus growers think the estimate doesn’t show the full damage from the storm.

Before the storm, citrus production was already forecast to drop by a third compared with the year before. Estimated losses could run as much as $304.2 million.

The event will feature contests, music, a farmers market and plenty of tomato-intensive recipes