COMMISSIONER PATE RESPONDS TO BORDEN DAIRY PRODUCTION FACILITY CLOSURES
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) is aware of the upcoming closure of the Borden Dairy production facilities in Dothan, Ala. and Hattiesburg, Miss. on September 30 and the effect it will have on school milk contracts. Borden Dairy packages 8 oz. cartons of milk for schools, so while the packaging will be limited, the supply of milk produced by dairy farmers is still available. The Borden Dairy closure will impact more than 100 public school... read more ❯
Support farmers on Sweet Grown Alabama Day July 23
By Donna Cope - Alabama NewsCenter - July 20, 2022
Click the following link for complete article - Support farmers on Sweet Grown Alabama Day July 23 Celebrate all the goodness of summertime fruit and vegetables – and the hard-working farmers who grow them – at Sweet Grown Alabama (SGA) Day on July 23. Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate is encouraging shoppers to visit their local farmers market and support local growers. It is a good idea, Pate noted, considering... read more ❯
Register Today for Alabama Stockmanship & Stewardship Event
Register Today for Alabama Stockmanship & Stewardship Event
Premiere beef educational experience to be held in Auburn. Auburn, Alabama – Registration is now open for the Alabama Stockmanship & Stewardship event, Aug. 12-13, in Auburn. Stockmanship & Stewardship is a unique, educational experience for cattle producers featuring low-stress cattle handling demonstrations, Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) educational sessions, facility design sessions and industry updates that you won’t find anywhere else. “In today’s world, no matter the beef production system you are involved with, stockmanship... read more ❯
ADAI is Accepting Century & Heritage Farm and Bicentennial Farm Applications
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) is now accepting applications for their annual Century & Heritage (C & H) Farm and Bicentennial Farm programs. ADAI created these programs to help recognize and celebrate family farms that have significantly impacted Alabama history and agriculture. A Century Farm is one that has been in the same family continuously for at least 100 years and currently has agricultural activities on the farm. The farm must include at least 40... read more ❯
USDA Grant to Provide Relief to Seafood Processors Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic - Deadline Extended Until August 12, 2022
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) recently announced a grant program to distribute $200,000 in relief funds for eligible Alabama seafood processors, dealers, and processing vessels who were financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The deadline to apply for this program has been extended. The State of Alabama was allocated this funding under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Seafood Processors Pandemic Response and Safety Block Grant Program. ADAI will administer the grant program on behalf... read more ❯
A Healthy You, A Healthy Farm
May is Mental Health Awareness month, and the Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries (ADAI) would like to highlight a program that puts Alabama farmer’s mental health at the forefront. The ADAI was awarded the Farm and Ranch Assistance Network project grant, established by USDA in October of 2021. Through this grant, ADAI was able to develop the initiative “A Healthy You, A Healthy Farm.” This program partners with the Alabama Department of Mental Health to provide mental health training... read more ❯
FDA Issues Warning Letters to Companies Illegally Selling CBD and Delta-8 THC Products
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued warning letters to five companies for selling products labeled as containing delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-8 THC) in ways that violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). This action is the first time the FDA has issued warning letters for products containing delta-8 THC. Delta-8 THC has psychoactive and intoxicating effects and may be dangerous to consumers. The FDA has received reports of adverse events experienced by patients who have consumed... read more ❯
Meet cogongrass, the fire-loving, stabby demon plant invading Alabama
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – It doesn’t look like much at first, a dense field of grass with a few willowy white tufts like dandelions sprouting at the top. But cogongrass, an Asian-native plant, is spreading fast across Alabama and costing landowners millions. Cogongrass chokes out forests and hunting lands, threatening habitats. It inhibits the growth of other plants and ruins pasturelands, as livestock have trouble eating or digesting it. The weed is also highly flammable and increases the risk of devastating wildfires. Cogongrass doesn’t... read more ❯
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Benefit Cards still Available for Seniors
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) is a federally funded program administered by the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries’ Farmers Market Authority Section. The SFMNP provides eligible seniors with a $30 benefit card to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables from certified farmers at farmers markets and farm stands in the state of Alabama. This year’s program was launched in January and funds are still available. Market season is here and seniors who have applied should... read more ❯
USDA Grant to Provide Relief to Seafood Processors Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) announces a grant program to distribute $200,000 in relief funds for eligible Alabama seafood processors, dealers, and processing vessels who were financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The State of Alabama was allocated this funding under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Seafood Processors Pandemic Response and Safety Block Grant Program. ADAI will administer the grant program on behalf of USDA to qualified applicants. The grant is intended to defray... read more ❯