Hello DeSoto and Sarasota County Producers!

It has been an entire week since I last had information to send your way. The pace of new information is finally slowing down.

I am going to continue to send coronavirus-related updates as long as there are updates that need sharing. Since these updates are slowing down, I am going to start the transition over to sharing more general agriculture updates. Today’s email is split: the first three updates are coronavirus-related, the last four updates are not.

And just a reminder that if you need to access the last two months of info I sent your way, this link will take you to it: https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/tag/covidagupdate/

Coronavirus Updates

1. The Farmers to Families Food Box Program is up and running
   • Here is a link to FAQs on the program: https://www.ams.usda.gov/publications/content/farmers-families-food-box-program-faqs
   • Here is a link to all the farms and distributors in the Southeastern US that received a contract: https://www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food-to-usda/farmers-to-families-food-box/approved-contractors/south-east

• • I see two on the list from our region (GA Foodservice of Pinellas County, Inc and Hardee Fresh, LLC)

2. Transition Sarasota seeking growers for gleaning partnerships.

• • If you have questions or are interested in donating your product via gleaning, please contact Rebecca Brey at exec@transitionsrq.org or 920-286-3070.
  • For information on tax breaks, liability, and tips on having volunteer harvesters on your farm, see the three very helpful attachments called:
  • How Is Food Recovered on a Farm; Field Gleaning Tips and Rules; and A Farmer’s Guide to Food Donations

3. Economic Impact of COVID-19 on Equine Businesses and Allied Industries

• • Previous impact surveys did not sufficiently capture the impact of COVID-19 on equine businesses. To learn how wide-spread the impact is, UF and LSU created a short survey (five minutes) just for equine businesses (boarding/lessons/training facilities), equestrian/show facilities, and allied industries.
  • Here is the link to this survey: http://lsu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9sh5QCupVkuc40l
  • Please share this link if you know someone who is in the equine business

General Agriculture Updates

1. UF’s Range Cattle Research and Education Center in Ona has a new director
   • Dr. Brent Sellers, Ona’s pasture weed specialist, has been named the Center’s new director.
   • To read about Dr. Sellers and lots more news from Ona, check out their spring newsletter:

• • https://rcrec-ona.ifas.ufl.edu/media/rcrec-onaifasufledu/pdf/RCREC_news_spring_2020_IA_F.pdf

2. Upcoming webinars about USDA and SBA programs and services offered to rural businesses.

• • Both the USDA and SBA will be talking about all of the loan and grant programs they offer to rural businesses (not just disaster-related loans and grants).
  • They are offering the same presentation on two different events. For more info and to register, follow one of these links:
  • May 19 event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/us-department-of-agriculture-and-small-business-administration-programs-for-rural-small-business-tickets-104456405922
  • June 3 event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/us-department-of-agriculture-and-small-business-administration-programs-for-rural-small-business-tickets-104466797002

3. S. Florida Vegetable Pest and Disease report for April

• • The final S. Florida Vegetable Pest and Disease Hotline of the season was last week and will start back up in a few months. Attached is the S. Florida Vegetable Pest and Disease report for April

4. New article about strategies for managing hypersensitivity to insect bites in horses:

• • https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/AN/AN35900.pdf

All my best to all of you,

Sarah Bostick

ATTACHMENTS

• PDHotline 5.8.2020
• how-is-food-recovered-on-a-farm
• A Farmer’s Guide to Food Donations
• Field Gleaning Tips and Rules

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