UF IFAS Panhandle Agriculture Extension Team

09/13/2026

FDACS Free Pesticide License Exams – November 2 or 3 - The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced that registration is now open for the FDACS Free Pesticide License Exam Administration Days, taking place November 2-3, 2026, in Tallahassee, Florida. Registration is only available until October 19, 2026 for the November exam session. Proctoring fees have been waived (application fees still apply). Advance registration is required. Registration is contingent upon providing a valid voucher at the time of submission. All registrations are subject to voucher verification. https://buff.ly/CaZATO3

Email 0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Reddit 0 X Linkedin 0 Stumbleupon 0 On September 8, 2026, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced that registration is now open for the FDACS Free Pesticide License Exam Administration Days, taking place November 2-3, 2026, in Tallahassee, F...

09/13/2026

Regenerative Grazing in the Panhandle – September 24 - In the ag world the term regenerative garners a lot of attention these days. While a specific definition remains elusive, the consensus is the implementation of production practices which together and over time improve the health, sustainability, and resiliency of the entire system. To enable local livestock producers to make better informed pasture management decisions, UF/IFAS Extension Washington County is hosting a two-part educational series on Thursday, September 24th and Thursday, October 1st. The goal of this series is to inform, not persuade.

Principles and practices will be discussed in terms of their relation to the plant, animal, and human components of a grazing system.

09/13/2026

Production, Price, and Profit Prospects for the 2027 Wheat Crop - Wheat prices surged late in the 2026 growing season. It is likely that U.S. winter wheat acres will increase in 2027. As of September 4, the price for July 2027 winter wheat contracts is $7.53 per bushel for Chicago soft red winter wheat. That is up from the July 2026 contract closing prices of wheat. Costs, however, are going to be higher too. If the El Nino winter results in higher-than-average wheat yields, that will help lower next year’s breakeven price for wheat. https://buff.ly/zLv4mKd

Producers that grew winter wheat in 2026 were most likely glad to put the season behind them. Winter wheat acres planted in the U.S. were the lowest since 2020. With only 67 percent harvested (tied with 2023 as the lowest on record), wheat acres harvested were the lowest since the USDA began reporti...

09/13/2026

Get the Cattle Market Weekly Summary Emailed to You Every Friday - For cattle ranchers in the Florida Panhandle, there are no local cattle market reports available because producers sell in other states. There is a service available to get a weekly report from either Alabama or Georgia. They offer a one-page summary of weekly average cattle sales, hay prices, and summary of fertilizer and fuel prices in Alabama or Georgia. You can get this information updated every Friday from USDA’s Market News Office in Montgomery through their free email newsletters. https://buff.ly/MoiGZ4c

Email 0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Reddit 0 X Linkedin 0 Stumbleupon 0 For cattle ranchers in the Florida Panhandle, there are no local cattle market reports available, in part because producers sell in other states. The Florida Cattle Market summary report provides prices from Okeechobee, Arcadia, Lakela...

09/12/2026

From the Mississippi Delta to Northwest Florida - Nestor Cordero is the new Agriculture Extension Agent for UF/IFAS Extension Escambia County. He is originally from the Mississippi Delta, where he was raised around row-crop agriculture such as rice, soybeans, cotton, and corn. Nestor gained hands-on experience with land leveling, irrigation, operating tractors and farm equipment, and the day-to-day challenges involved in crop production. Those experiences ultimately shaped his interest in agronomy and w**d management. Nestor also gained extensive experience in agricultural research and education while at Mississippi State University. https://buff.ly/BfDJYyK

Email 0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Reddit 0 X Linkedin 0 Stumbleupon 0 From the Mississippi Delta to Extension Meet Nestor Cordero, your new Agronomy/Agriculture Extension Agent with UF/IFAS for Escambia County! Nestor Cordero is originally from the Mississippi Delta, where he was born and raised around r...

09/12/2026

Mark Mauldin: A Trusted Partner in Florida Agriculture - Mark Mauldin, UF/IFAS Extension Washington County, was selected as the 2026 Farm Bureau Extension Professional of the Year. He never really stops working with and for his Farm Bureau friends and clients. Mauldin is the self-described “w**d guy.” Mark travels around the county, identifying w**ds, advising farmers on how to kill them without negative impacts on operations. It’s classic extension work, in which our research faculty channel their knowledge to producers via an extension agent who translates it to the needs and situation of the producer. https://buff.ly/8Vz6VwZ

In this column, J. Scott Angle recognizes UF/IFAS Extension agent Mark Mauldin, the 2026 Farm Bureau Extension Professional of the Year, for his impact on Florida agriculture.

09/12/2026

Stay Licensed, Stay Informed: Pesticide Licensing FAQs - Questions include: Do you need a license? Which type of pesticide license do you need? How to obtain a pesticide license? How much does a license cost? How many CEUs do I need for renewal? How do I renew my license? The Department of Agriculture is responsible for administering pesticide licenses. UF/IFAS Extension is responsible for providing pre-test training and CEUs for license renewal. https://buff.ly/e7LUyRV

Email 0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Reddit 0 X Linkedin 0 Stumbleupon 0 After each pesticide training or production meeting where continuing education credits (CEUs) are offered, I am always surprised to learn that many of the applicators are unfamiliar with the pesticide licensing process and keeping thei...

09/12/2026

2025–2026 Cool-Season Forage Variety Trial Results - As fall approaches, many producers are making decisions on what cool-season forages to plant for grazing, silage or hay production. To help with that decision-making, the UF/IFAS forage team annually conducts cool-season forage variety trials. For the 2025–2026 season, 72 entries of annual ryegrass, oat, rye, triticale, and wheat were evaluated. There are many varieties to choose from because they differ significantly in productivity, maturity, nutritive value, disease tolerance, etc. https://buff.ly/HEr5Zyc

Email 0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Reddit 0 X Linkedin 0 Stumbleupon 0 UF/IFAS Agronomy Department Forage Team Authored by: Maria Elena Mailhos, Marcelo Wallau, Cheryl Mackowiak, and Diwakar Vyas As fall approaches, many producers are making decisions on what cool-season forages to plant for grazing, sila...

09/08/2026

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09/06/2026

Florida Forest Service Southern Pine Beetle Assistance and Prevention Program – Application Deadline October 9 - The Southern Pine Beetle Prevention Program is offered to private forest landowners by the Florida Forest Service through temporary grants from USDA. Periodic southern pine beetle outbreaks in Florida have resulted in millions of cubic feet of pine timber killed on thousands of acres. Forest management practices such as thinning, prescribed burning, other competition control, and use of less-susceptible pine species can improve the health of pine stands and decrease their likelihood of developing southern pine beetle infestations. https://buff.ly/NwCzYlv