Tag Archives: Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

Alachua County will spend $2.5M in federal aid on a publicly-owned meat processing facility

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, …

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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. 

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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.

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