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 Okeechobee County

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Okeechobee Cattle Ranching

Agriculture 

Programs

 

 Okeechobee Vegetable Farming
 Our Agricultural Extension programs help farmers, ranchers,  and agribusinesses with the best UF/ IFAS agricultural research information.  They can assist local producers learn to grow, market, process, and use local farm products, and how to adjust to changing economic conditions

For local information on Small Farms, visit the webpage for the Treasure Coast Small Farms Working Group. [This page is under construction!]
Quick Links:  Agriculture Census (Statistics)  Current Issues in Agriculture  Favorite Sons  Green Pages (for consumers)   Other Ag Links
Ag Producer Links:  Beef    Beekeeping   Citrus   Dairy  Sod/Turf   Vegetables   Ornamental Plant Nurseries     

Agricultural Statistics2007 USDA Census of Agriculture

Okeechobee County Ag Statistics:     2007 County Profile    2002 Ag Census Summary    

2011 Florida Agricultural Statistical Directory - Click on title to download the full report -  a 7 MB pdf file.  

Current Issues in Agriculture

Biofuel Frenzy hits the USA!

USDA Technology Transfer Information Center Biofuel website  including  news feeds,  funding, research reports and links to more information 

       Biofuel crop production -  8 crops currently have been evaluated for Florida potential:

switchgrass     miscanthus     sweet sorghum     soybean    peanut    canola    elephantgrass     sugar cane

        Other UF/IFAS  Energy crop publications are available -  Click this website

 

UF/IFAS & FAMU 

 Small Farms website -  Click Here! 

 

Okeechobee Agricultural Leaders

Clif Betts, Jr. Chairman, Okeechobee County Commission. Clif Betts, Jr.

July 8, 1948 -  March 29, 2011         

Our community and our office will miss  this outstanding supporter of the Cooperative Extension Service 

County Home page tribute                   Joe Crankshaw (TCPalm) story

 

Pete Clemons

Pete Clemons

2008 FL Ag Hall of Fame

Louis E. “Red” Larson

2005 Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award 

2005 Sunbelt Farmer of the Year    1981 FL Ag Hall of Fame

Sonny Williamson Jr. 

 2005 FL Ag Hall of Fame

 Consumers: see the Okeechobee Green Pages for local sources of produce & plants.

  Local Agricultural Producers:  Our office provides this list of local growers and ranchers that sell direct to local residents -  contact us if you want to be listed - or know someone who ought to be here....

 

Agricultural Producer Links:

Okeechobee County Beef Production      

UF/IFAS Extension links:

   Industry Links:
South Florida Beef Forage Program                              

Florida Cattleman's Association
Central Florida Livestock Agent's Group

2009 Florida Cattlemen's Institute presentations - click here
UF/IFAS Department of Animal Science @ Gainesville 
UF/IFAS Range Cattle Research & Education Center @ Ona

2010 UF/IFAS Range Cattle REC Fall Field Day in Ona,  Photos - click here
 

links for 

Okeechobee County Dairy  Producers

  Dairy Farmers, Inc.

UF/IFAS Dairy Science Department

  Southeast Milk, Inc.
UF/IFAS report:  Dairy Business Analysis Project: 2004 Financial Summary

 Dairy Update Newsletter:  Winter 2011 issue is posted on http://dairy.ifas.ufl.edu/dairyupdate/
 

Sod Production in Okeechobee County

UF/IFAS Sod Production Links

Turfgrass Science at the University of Florida

Turf Industry Links

Florida Sod Growers Cooperative        P. O. Box 217  LaBelle, FL 33975 863-675-2144

 Florida Turfgrass Association Orlando, FL 32801(800) 882-6721

Local Sod Producer Links

Coco Sod Farms 

Lykes Bros., Inc.   Okeechobee 863-763-3041   Email: lykesranch@okeechobee.com

R & D Sod Farms, Inc. Okeechobee   863-763-7882

Sod Services LLC   Okeechobee  863-634-8324

Willaway Cattle & Sod, LP   Okeechobee
863-634-9132    Email:  willaway@wildblue.net

  Okeechobee County Citrus Growers 

   

2011 Florida Citrus Show: January 19 -20, 2011, Ft. Pierce

2009 Seminar archives.    2010 Citrus Show Archives
Treasure Coast Citrus Notes (St. Lucie County) - Click here
  Indian River Citrus BMP Site 

       Indian River Citrus League
Florida Citrus Resources

Florida Citrus Agents

  Florida Citrus Mutual
2010 Citrus Expo -  Ft. Myers  Presentations 2010 Citrus Packinghouse Day - August 26th, 2010 at  CREC:  http://postharvest.ifas.ufl.edu/ 

UF/IFAS  Citrus  Research &  Education  Center  @ Lake Alfred

CREC Citrus Extension webpage

  UF Extension Citrus Bulletins

the Main menu for UF/IFAS Citrus publications

UF/IFAS  Indian River Research & Education Center @  Fort Pierce 

Nutrition of Florida Citrus Trees  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/SS478

UF/IFAS Southwest Florida REC @ Immokalee. 

see IPM and Pest Scouting info in Phil Stansly's  entomology section.

 Citrus Windbreaks

Research shows canker control is greatly improved with windbreaks.

Citrus Pests:Canker leaves

Citrus Canker CREC Extension page 

Citrus Greening CREC Extension pageGreening leaf

Okeechobee Citrus Canker Information page (archived)

 

Citrus Pest Management Guide

Home vegetable gardeners:

Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (SP 103)

Commercial Vegetable Producers:

Newsletters:

Production Manuals
THE VEGETARIAN - state-wide newsletter for commercial vegetable producers UF Vegetable Production Guide for Florida (SP-170)  contains latest production and pest management recommendations for producers.  

  2011-2012 Edition now available!  Contact our office if you wish a paper copy of this document!

Link to Menu of Topics/ Contents       

PDF files: Also available here
Organic Production
& Marketing Newsletter organic and sustainable production news for fruit and vegetable producers
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PEST AND DISEASE HOTLINE - Hendry County Vegetable Agent Gene McAvoy's award winning newsletter for commercial vegetable growers Final FDACS document 

Vegetable & Row Crop BMP manual

Note: This will open a 171 page pdf file!

Updated UF resources 

for vegetable growers 

Nutrient Management Systems for Florida Vegetable Producers

2012 Fresh Vegetable Crop Outlook:  

 

Excerpt from October 2011 Vegetarian Newsletter - click here.

 
   

Commercial vegetable grower resources from other Land-Grant Universities

 The 2011 Vegetable Crop Handbook for the Southeastern U.S.  represents a joint effort among Extension specialists and researchers from12 southern Land-Grant universities who work in the area of vegetable production. These specialists and researchers represent a wide array of disciplines—agricultural engineering, entomology, horticulture (vegetable production), plant pathology, soil science and weed science.

 Click to Download (File Size: 4 MB) Note: This is a 296 page pdf file

For FFA, 4-H and Master Gardeners: 

 Vegetable Identification & Judging Contest - 

Click here to go to student resource page.

OTHER  AGRICULTURE  LINKS TO VISIT:

Division of Forestry - Okeechobee Field office

Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services

Florida Division of Forestry

Farm Security & Bio-terrorism - ideas on how to protect your farm from terrorism, vandalism, contaminations, unusual pests, and other things that go bump in the night....

USDA NRCS Farm Service Agency Okeechobee Service Center 

Conservation plans, soil surveys, cost share assistance, etc.

Okeechobee Soil & Water Conservation District    
452 Hwy. 98 North,  Okeechobee, FL  34972-4168
(863) 763-3619 x 502

 
Click here to go to the online Web Soil Survey:

http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/WebSoilSurvey.aspx 

It will help you locate the soils on your property!

Click here for online copy of Okeechobee County Soil Survey: 

http://soildatamart.nrcs.usda.gov/Manuscripts/FL093/0/fl_okeechobee.pdf 

Be prepared Image Pre-Harvest Security Guidelines and Checklist 2006

A 20 page booklet that suggests voluntary security practices for agricultural producers- download by clicking on the title above.  (Printed copies are available from the local NRCS office.)

 
 

Florida Farm Bureau

Florida Farm Bureau - the voice of Agriculture in the Sunshine State. 

Okeechobee County Farm Bureau

401 NW 4th St. Okeechobee, Florida 34972

Phone: (863) 763-3101 Fax : (863) 763-1624

 American Farm Bureau -  the National Voice of Agriculture
Young Farmers and Rancher Programs       Click Here!

Trade names, where used, are given for the purpose of providing specific information. They do not constitute an endorsement or guarantee of products named, nor does it imply criticism of products not named. The Florida Cooperative Extension Service - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national origin.  Florida Cooperative Extension Service / IFAS / University of Florida.  Millie Ferrer Chancy, Interim Director. This page is maintained by Dan Culbert  Last Update: 01/13/2012