USDA ESTABLISHES REGULATIONS FOR FRUIT MOVEMENT FROM FLORIDA

Effective August 1, USDA’s Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has amended its requirements for the movement of fresh fruit from Florida to prevent the spread of citrus canker. The amended requirements are intended to provide a mechanism for healthy Florida citrus fruit to be sold to noncitrus-producing states.

The new rule removes the ban on fruit shipments from a grove that has had canker in the past two years. And while shipments are not allowed to California, Arizona, Louisiana, Hawaii, Texas, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the regulation does allow shipments to Alabama, which had been included in an embargo the USDA proposed earlier.

The public has until October 2 to comment.

CORNYN ADDS BORDER SECURITY FUNDING TO DEFENSE BILL

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), chairman of the Immigration, Border Security and Citizenship subcommittee, introduced an amendment Wednesday (August 2) to provide $3.9 billion in additional resources for border security. The amendment, co-sponsored by Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), was added to the Department of Defense appropriations bill.

The senators are also the authors of the Comprehensive Enforcement and Immigration Reform Act, which emphasizes border security and employer accountability. They said they introduced the new bill to avoid a stalemate on immigration reform.

BENEFIT AUCTION ACCEPTING DONATIONS

The 8th annual Benefit Auction will be held at FFVA’S 63rd Annual Convention, September 19, 2006. The beneficiary this year is the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Research and Education Foundation Migrant Scholarship Program. Additional information and a donation form are included with this issue of Rap-Up.

FLORIDA AGRI-WOMEN HONOR PLANT CITY GROWER

The Florida Agri-Women organization honored agricultural leader Cammy Hinton Saturday night (August 5) with its 2006 Founder’s Day Award. The award was presented at the Founder’s Day dinner during the group’s annual meeting in Orlando.
The award is given annually to a woman who demonstrates a positive attitude towards agriculture and active involvement in Florida’s agricultural industry.

Hinton moved to from Pennsylvania to Florida at age nine, and grew up around horses. Her true farm roots began when she married Wylie L. Hinton in 1972. Although both she and her husband became agriculture teachers, they decided to focus on the family's strawberry and vegetable farm.

Today, Hinton is daily operations manager for Hinton Farms Produce. She has a long track record of industry leadership having served as the first woman elected as president of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association, as a member of the University of Florida's Research Advisory Committee and the Advisory Committee for the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, where she helped establish its new location in Balm, Florida. She has also served on the Florida Soil and Water Conservation Council and is a member of the Southwest Florida Water Management District Alafia Basin Board.

Photos of the award presentation are available by emailing barbara.wunder@ffva.com.

PRODUCE ORGANIZATION PRAISES USDA FOR PROPOSAL TO ALLOW WIC RECIPIENTS ACCESS TO FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

The United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association said Monday (August 7) that it applauds the announcement of a proposed rule by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that, for the first time, would include fresh produce in the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program, which provides assistance to millions of needy families.

Once this regulation is implemented by USDA, it will mark the first time in the 32-year history of the WIC program that monthly vouchers for the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables will be provided. The U.S. Institute of Medicine recommended significant changes to the WIC package in 2005. The USDA proposed rule will align the WIC food packages with 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and current infant feeding practice guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=48900

AG EXPO TO BE HELD AT BALM RESEARCH FACILITY

A true hands-on, real-world presentation of what’s new in the ag industry, the Florida Ag Expo, will be held December 8-9, at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Balm. Learn more about it in the August issue of Harvester Online at www.ffva.com. To become an exhibitor or sponsor, contact Florida Grower magazine at (407) 539-6552.