The Alachua County Commission unanimously voted at a special meeting Tuesday to spend $2.5 million for a new United States Department of Agriculture-certified meat processing facility in Newberry. The $2.5 million is part of the $52.25 million in federal funds allocated to Alachua County through the American Rescue Plan Act, …
Read More »Florida beekeepers rally community in Hurricane Ian recovery efforts
B. Keith Councell is a beekeeper stripped of his bees – 2,800 of them spread across his farms in Arcadia, Cape Coral, Pine Island and Fort Myers. His honeybees were among the 400,000 Florida bee colonies in Hurricane Ian’s path in September. Ian decimated 100,000 total hives, which were toppled and drowned in 12-foot storm surges as high as eight beehives. The state’s surviving bees were left starving from the storm’s destruction of foliage, the bees' source of energy and protein. Deprived of bees, feed and equipment, beekeepers have found relief among themselves.
Read More »Alachua County considers plan to partner with Newberry to establish new meat processing center
Alachua County is considering plans to partner with the City of Newberry to construct a new meat processing facility that will serve the entire county and potentially beyond. Alachua County officials want to reorganize the county's food supply lines to be more locally based and independent by constructing the meat processing center in Newberry. Plans for the new facility originate from concerns about the nationwide supply chain issues that have occurred since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read More »The Point, Sept. 16, 2022: Gov. Ron DeSantis says Florida is no ‘sanctuary state’ for immigrants
The controversy continued for a second day after his decision received national pushback.
Read More »Volunteers wanted for Cedar Key’s 16th annual coastal cleanup
The city of Cedar Key, in partnership with UF/IFAS, is encouraging residents to volunteer in Cedar Key's 16th annual International Coastal Cleanup Saturday.
Read More »A dairy farm in Trenton is turning cow poop into profits
Dairy and beef cattle farms produce about 2% of total worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. According to Climate Watch Data, in 2018, 2% accounted for 1 billion tons of greenhouse gas. Alliance uses a system called an anaerobic digester to process their manure. From the outside, it just looks like a large concrete platform covered in metal pipes.
Read More »Gainesville Police Advisory Council Looking To Enact Change Despite Restrictions
The council’s second meeting is Wednesday.
Read More »UF Researchers Launch Plans To Improve Vanilla Through Plant Breeding
Researchers at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences have partnered with Elo Life Systems to find a new way to grow vanilla more sustainably without compromising taste.
Read More »Gainesville Police Advisory Council Elects New Leadership
The Gainesville Police Advisory Council elected a new chair and vice chair Wednesday night while also expressing concerns about its power to influence policing.
Read More »30 Years In The Making, Alachua County Fairgrounds Move From Gainesville To Newberry
Next month, the fairgrounds will complete their move from their previous location near the Gainesville Regional Airport to the Alachua County Agriculture and Equestrian Center, formerly known as the Canterbury Equestrian Showplace.
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