Industry Insight

Premier Select Sires Scholarship Opportunities – Read More
FFBF Contact – Keitha Bennett

Florida Fertilizer & Agrichemical Association Memos and COVID-19 Resources – Read More 
FFBF Contact – Kevin Morgan

Updated Rules for the USDA Animal Identification – Read More
FFBF Contact – Scot Eubanks

Invasive Species Reporting Hotline – Read More
FFBF Contact – Jaime Jerrels

IRS Releases Rules for Replanting Citrus Groves
Read More – The IRS has released rules concerning Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) changes that allow citrus growers to immediately write off expenses when they replant a grove that was destroyed by disease. Before the TCJA growers had to wait to begin deducting their replanting costs until the replacement trees began producing income, generally in the fourth year after planting. The TCJA, changed the law so that growers can deduct replanting costs immediately for expenses incurred between December 23, 2017 and December 22, 2027.  Rev. Proc 2018-35 is attached.
FFBF Contact – Jaime Jerrels

USDA Helps Producers Prepare for Addition of Seed Cotton to Two Key Safety Net Programs
Read more – USDA is sending acreage history and yield reports to agricultural producers with generic base acres covered by the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs. This information will help producers decide the best options for how to allocate generic base acres, given the addition of seed cotton as a covered commodity in the programs. FSA is using the period 2009 through 2012 to compute the conversion of generic base acres to seed cotton base acres. In contrast, the 2008 through 2012 period is used to calculate yield updates to seed cotton.
FFBF Contact – Jaime Jerrels

FDA Launches Food Safety Plan Builder
Read More – To help businesses meet the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Final Rule for Preventive Controls for Human Food, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is releasing a new software tool to help owners and operators of food facilities create a food safety plan specific to their facilities. The Food Safety Plan Builder (FSPB) is a free software application, developed by the FDA that businesses can download from the FDA website to guide them, step-by-step, through the creation of a food safety plan, as required by FSMA.
FFBF Contact – Jaime Jerrels

Updates to the Florida Cottage Food Law
Read More – Recently, the Cottage Food Law was amended to include two important changes. These changes, which took effect July 1, 2017, increase the annual gross sales of cottage food products allowed under the law from $15,000 to $50,000, and make it possible for the producer to sell, offer for sale, and accept payment over the Internet, if the product is delivered in person directly to the consumer, or to a specific event venue.
FFBF Contact – Jaime Jerrels

2015 Revised Worker Protection Standard On-hold
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the deadline to meet requirements of the new WPS standard until guidance and training materials are ready to help state agencies implement the changes. It is still uncertain if and when the 2015 revision will take effect. Estimates range to 2018 and beyond – possibly never or in a modified form. FDACS advises that for the time being they will continue to enforce WPS under the provisions of the old rule – pre 2015 version. It is important to note, however, while medical certification and fit testing of applicators who apply pesticides with labels that call for a respirator is not required under the old rule, it is still required for those applying or assisting with the application of fumigants.
FFBF Contact – Jaime Jerrels

Find the Food Safety Apps That Are Right for You
Find these apps and more at Google Play and the iTunes store.
FFBF Contact – Jaime Jerrels

USDA National Organic Farming Handbook
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) National Organic Farming Handbook covers everything from organic farming principles to cross-walking the national organic program with NRCS’s conservation practice standards.
FFBF Contact – Jaime Jerrels