Florida
Rural job growth is less than half of urban. Do elections play a part?
Cities are creating jobs faster than rural areas with a 13.3 percent growth rate in the past year, compared to 4.8 percent in rural counties, says a Daily Yonder analysis of Labor Department statistics. "Unemployment remains a bigger problem in rural counties than metro areas," says the Yonder, which tried to gauge local conditions in battleground states.
The Everglades struggles, sugar industry thrives
Fifteen years after an agreement by Florida and federal officials to revive the Everglades, "billions of dollars have been spent but not much marsh has recovered," says the Miami Herald. "But a review of the key decision points by Florida policymakers over the last two decades shows that one key player in the fate of the Everglades has grown healthier and stronger: Big Sugar."
Scientists: Eat your lionfish before its too late
Invasive lionfish have made it to the Mediterranean, says Scientific American. A report set to be published in the journal Marine Biodiversity Records found that in just one year, lionfish have colonized nearly all of Cyprus’ southeastern coast.
Redistricting cripples House Ag panelist Graham’s re-election bid
Smallest orange crop in Florida in 52 years
Florida's citrus industry is "in an accelerating tailspin," with an orange crop forecast by USDA to be the smallest in 52 years, says the Tampa Bay Times. "The new forecast is a startling 17 percent drop in one year, raising questions of when — or if — Florida's citrus business will be able to stabilize."
Florida farm grows experimental GMO citrus trees
A large Florida citrus grower and processor, Southern Gardens Citrus based in Clewiston, "is growing genetically modified fruit that’s resistant to the citrus greening disease," said The Packer.
U.S. grocer is first major chain to join Fair Food Program
Ahold USA, the parent company of grocery chains that include Giant and Stop and Shop, joined the Fair Food Program of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers. The program's goal is to improve the conditions for farmworkers in Florida.
Orange output to fall 7 percent globally on lower yields
Orange production will drop by 7 percent this year due to lower yields among the four major growers, Brazil, China, the United States and the European Union, which account for two-thirds of world output, says the USDA.
Cannibalism may not stop the spread of the lionfish
"Cannibalism may seem like nature’s way of coping with Florida’s growing lionfish invasion, but it is unlikely to offer a cure," says National Geographic.
House Republicans nix immigration reform-GOP lawmaker
Florida Republican Mario Diaz-Balart, an advocate of comprehensive immigration reform, said House Republican leaders told him "they have no intention to bring this bill to the floor this year,” said Roll Call. Diaz-Balart had drafted a reform bill. It was the latest setback for reform, stalled for a year in the GOP-controlled House. The outlook has been increasingly bleak for the past two weeks.
Florida ag sees competitor where US ag sees Cuban market
While U.S. farm groups see Cuba as a natural, nearby market for exports, growers in Florida worry that Cuba will be a competitor in agriculture, says the Miami Herald. Janell Hendren of the Florida Farm Bureau told the Herald, "You can't lift the [trade] embargo without increasing imports from Cuba to the United States. And we are very concerned with imports." Agricultural economist William Messina at U-Florida says Cuba and Florida grow many of the same products - sugar, citrus, vegetables, tropical fruit and fish.
Roberts wins, may be first to chair House, Senate ag panels
Kansas Sen Pat Roberts easily won his fourth term in the Senate, beating independent Greg Orman by 9 points. Roberts says he expects to be Agriculture Committee chairman when Republicans take control of the Senate in January. He would be the first person to chair the both the House and Senate Agriculture committees.
GMO labeling crops up in the South
Legislation "to regulate genetically modified crops at the local and state level" are beginning to appear in agriculture-friendly Southern states, says Delta Farm Press.
A dozen elections with food and agriculture policy impact
A dozen elections today may influence food and agriculture policy nationally, They range from the Kansas race that could determine the next chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee to referendums on soda taxes and GMO labeling.
Heavy spending in re-election bid by food stamp critic
Some $10 million could be spent on the U.S. House race between Rep Steve Southerland and Democrat Gwen Graham in the Florida panhandle, says WTXL-TV in Tallahassee.
Food stamp critic Steve King heads for re-election in Iowa
House Agriculture subcommittee chairman Steve King leads by 12 points in a Loras College poll of 280 likely voters in the Fourth House District in northwestern Iowa.
Food and agriculture races to watch on Nov 4
From soda taxes in California to neck-and-neck Senate races in the heartland, an abundance of races of import for U.S. food and agriculture policy will be decided in the Nov 4 elections.
Food-stamp cutter Southerland in close race in Florida
Second-term Rep Steve Southerland, the Florida Republican who proposed $40 billion in food stamp cuts as part of the farm bill, faces a tough contest for re-election, say Politico and Roll Call. In its "Homestretch" series, Politico says Southerland is among three House candidates repeatedly mentioned by GOP strategists as "well-positioned to win but seen as running poor campaigns."
Hurricane Helene wallops Georgia cotton crop
Three out of every 10 acres of cotton in Georgia, the No. 2 cotton-growing state in the country, was in poor or very poor condition following Hurricane Helene, said the USDA on Monday. Before the hurricane, just one in 10 acres fell into those categories in the weekly Crop Progress report and 59 percent were in good or excellent condition, compared to 34 percent now.