The USDA NRCS in Florida has begun accepting applications for disaster assistance funding through the Emergency Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).
The Rebuilding Florida Fisheries Program was established to provide financial assistance from the Florida Disaster Fund and the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida to support fishery participants impacted by the 2024 Florida hurricane season.
The Shellfish Pilot Crop Insurance Program available through the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) is in its second year with several revisions to the policy.
In a video episode of Voice of the Sea TV produced by the University of Hawaii, Hawaii Sea Grant (HSG) researchers traveled to the Gulf of Mexico in May to meet up with Florida Sea Grant faculty and partners, and learn about farming clams, oysters, and sponges. Then, HSG checked out oysters growing in living shorelines and learned how these systems actively protect coastal areas from erosion and storm damage. From Cedar Key, HSG headed Tampa Bay where clam farmers are growing food clams as well as native clams for ecosystem restoration. Then, HSG headed offshore to visit sponge aquaculture research sites
The Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) and Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP) can provide shellfish growers with catastrophic coverage for losses due to natural disasters. The deadline to sign-up for these programs and provide an acreage report is September 30 for coverage of crop year 2025. Both programs are serviced by your local USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) office. To find your county office, go to https://www.fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/Florida/index. See fact sheets for NAP and ELAP for more information. For NAP, clam growers are required to maintain a monthly inventory. Monthly inventory records are to be kept up to date and
This position will serve as biological staff at the University of Florida/IFAS Shellfish Aquaculture Program.
Shellfish growers are confronted with many decisions incorporating various levels of risk throughout a production season. These workshops will help growers to assess and identify production, market, and legal liability risks; understand what crop insurance and disaster assistance programs are available to protect their operations from these risks; and learn what resources and tools are available to improve risk management. Tuesday, July 9, 11:30am-1:00pm, Capt. Hirams-Blackfins, Sebastian Tuesday, July 9, 3:30-5:00pm, Marine Discovery Center, New Smyrna Beach Wednesday, July 10, 3:00-5:00pm, UF Nature Coast Biological Station, Cedar Key Thursday, July 11, 3:00-5:00pm, FSU Coastal and Marine Lab, St. Teresa See
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
