There is new trouble at the ranch. The worsening financial crisis is making it harder and more expensive for farmers and cattlemen to borrow money to pay for feed, land and salaries. While the credit squeeze on the agricultural sector is buffered somewhat by subsidies and other federal assistance, the timing is bad: the costs of fertilizer, fuel, seed and equipment have all risen sharply in recent years, and a global recession is on the horizon. ...more

October 18, 2008 |

Business Briefcase ...more

August 4, 2008 |

Business Briefcase ...more

July 28, 2008 |

TALLAHASSEE – Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson is urging the state's farmers and ranchers to watch their mail in early January for the arrival of the 2007 Census of Agriculture form. "I urge all of Florida's agricultural producers to participate in the Census by completing and returning the form," Bronson said. "The input received by the Census helps shape the future of agriculture for years to come, and we want to make sure that the voices of Florida's farmers and ranchers are heard." ...more

December 30, 2007 |

With pitchforks and heavy coats, three teenage cousins brave below-freezing temperatures and learn how to pitch straw into a sheep pen - something their teacher, 27-year-old Matt McClain, has been doing since he was a kid. ...more

December 23, 2007 |

On a sprawling piece of land off Trouble Creek Road, between walled-in subdivisions and heavily congested roadways, a church is rising from the earth. ...more

December 21, 2007 |

A new bank started with $20 million from local investors and business people will open its doors Dec. 10. ...more

November 26, 2007 |

This Thanksgiving Day, as we gather with family and friends to count our blessings, let's give thanks for the bounty we enjoy and not just on this holiday, but every day. ...more

November 18, 2007 |

The worst-case scenario is projected more than 50 years out, but environmental activists said Tuesday that the time to start protecting Florida's agricultural lands from urban development is now. ...more

October 24, 2007 |