Calling all Florida aquaculture industry members and aquaculture educators! Florida Aquaculture Association is hosting an immersive workshop with multiple sessions and facility tours on June 20 and 21, 2024. Register by May 10th: https://www.flaa.org/2024aquacultureworkshop.
Missed the workshop on Assessment of Using Shellfish for Water Quality Improvement in Florida? If you couldn’t attend the workshop, don’t worry! Video recordings are available. To access the workshop agenda, presentations, handouts, and video recordings, visit the following link: https://go.ufl.edu/workshop. During the workshop, results were presented from a 2-year grant funded by The Nature Conservancy SOAR program. Regulatory and incentive-based policies were reviewed related to bivalve-based restoration for water quality improvement. Additionally, a Florida Shellfish Calculator (https://ufl864.outgrow.us/ufl864-2) was developed, which estimates the amount and potential monetary value of nitrogen removal services that clam and oyster farming provides. For more
Virtual Info Session Funding Available for Shellfish FarmsApril 11, 20243:00 p.m Eligible shellfish farmers and businesses that were affected by Hurricane Idalia are able to receive funding to cover wages, clean up, recovery, and more. Please join us for an informational session to learn how CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion can offset the expense of restoring your operation – at no cost to you. Here’s what you’ll learn about: How disaster assistance programs can help you pay your workers How this funding can be used in clean up and recovery efforts Webinar link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89150261573Call-In Information: 1-386-347-5053; Meeting ID: 891 5026 1573
The Florida Farm TEAM Card is a convenient way for farmers to claim applicable agricultural sales tax exemptions. The plastic, wallet-sized card is a physical alternative to the paper exemption certificates. The TEAM card does not expand or create agricultural exemptions beyond those already provided in Florida Statute. A list of sales tax exemptions for aquaculture businesses can be found here: https://ccmedia.fdacs.gov/content/download/78423/file/FDACS-P-01781-SalesTaxExemptionsforAquacultureBusinesses.pdf. To obtain a TEAM Card, growers must complete an Application for a Florida Farm Tax Exempt Agricultural Materials (TEAM) Card (Form DR-1 TEAM) by applying online or obtaining a copy of the form to apply by mail at
February 7th and 13th, 3 – 5 p.m. UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station 552 1st Street, Cedar Key, FL Eligible clam farmers and businesses that were affected by Hurricane Idalia are able to receive funding to cover wages, clean up, recovery, and more. Attend one of two information sessions to learn how CareerSource of Citrus Levy Marion Counties can offset the expense of restoring your operation–at no cost to you. Here’s what you’ll learn about: 1) How disaster assistance programs can help you pay your workers, 2) How this funding can be used in clean up and recovery efforts. If
Aquatic farmers who have not completed the 2023 Census of Aquaculture conducted by US Department of Agriculture have until March 1 to do so. The Census can be completed online at USDA – National Agricultural Statistics Service – Surveys – Census of Aquaculture. Last conducted for production year 2018, the Census of Aquaculture will yield current industry-specific data. This information is used by federal, state, and local governments, agribusinesses, trade associations, and producers to make decisions impacting the sustainability and growth of the US aquaculture. The data is also used to support and justify federal and state research, education, extension,
To all Cedar Key Clam Growers, Please take a few minutes to complete a brief survey at your earliest convenience. Information about this survey can be found below. We would like to have responses back by January 22nd. Click on this link to open the survey https://forms.gle/2xH7ov7XMXq3vrFEA. If you have any questions or problems accessing the survey link, contact Leslie Sturmer at Lnst@ufl.edu or Rose Cantwell at cantwellrr@bellsouth.net.
A new Shellfish Pilot Crop Insurance Program is now available through the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA). Oyster growers in Franklin and Wakulla Counties are eligible in this pilot program for protection against losses due to named storms, excessive heat during a low tide event, freeze during a low tide event, or low salinity due to excessive rainfall. RMA has extended the Sales Closing Date for the shellfish (oyster) policy until December 15, 2023. To learn more about this new pilot program, visit these resources posted to RMA’s website https://www.rma.usda.gov/Topics/Shellfish. Shellfish Pilot Crop Insurance Program Frequently Asked Questions Shellfish Pilot
A new Shellfish Pilot Crop Insurance Program is now available through the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA). Oyster growers in Franklin and Wakulla Counties are eligible in this pilot program for protection against losses due to named storms, excessive heat during a low tide event, freeze during a low tide event, or low salinity due to excessive rainfall. The deadline to sign up for crop year 2024 is November 30. To learn more, join a meeting being hosted by Auburn University on Thursday, November 16 at 6 pm EST via Zoom. Nicole Gueck, formerly with AgriLogic Consulting, the firm that
This online workshop will summarize findings of a 2-year grant funded by the Nature Conservancy SOAR program to quantify the amount and monetary value of nitrogen removal services for shellfish aquaculture in Florida. The regulatory and incentive-based policies on using bivalve-based restoration to improve water quality will be reviewed. New research findings will be presented and there will be time for Q&As with online participants. The workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, October 24, from 2:00 to 3:30 pm EST. Register now by using this link: https://ufl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMscuuoqDsrGNzR33bgefotlVL5JOLVPJW8#/registration
