UF IFAS Extension Jackson County

What's bugging you today? Well, if you have large crepe myrtles, you may see a patch of black bugs moving around on the trunk like this photo from the yard at the Extension Office. These are harmless Bark Lice (aka Tree Cattle), which are unique bugs that move as a herd around the trunk of trees with peeling bark feeding on fungi, moss or algae under the old layers of bark. Read more about them in this article: https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/2023/07/05/weekly-what-is-it-tree-cattle-aka-bark-lice/

Come join our team! We are seeking applicants for the 4-H Program Assistant Position. Application deadline is June 4. Use this link for more information: https://recruit.hirebridge.com/v3/goto/?c=068en5

May is over, so I thought I would share total rainfall from multiple weather stations in the county. The locations with FL-JK were provided by NOAA volunteer reporters in the county. You can see in this chart that May rainfall totals varied from 8.35" north of Graceville to 17.62" south of Graceville. The 13.34" recorded at the University of Florida's Research Station set a new historic record for May, dating back to 1952.

Free water testing!! You can attend online or in person. Kits can be picked up & returned to our office in Marianna.

Multi-County Private Well & Water Quality Workshop on June 1st. Click the Eventbrite link below for more information or to register!

**As part of this workshop, we are offering 1-FREE bacteria and ARL test per household. THIS IS A SAVINGS OF $250! What a great value!

Multi-County Private Well & Water Quality Workshop This multi-county workshop will focus on residential private wells and water quality for homeowners. Attend in-person or virtually via Zoom.

Multi-County Private Well & Water Quality Workshop This multi-county workshop will focus on residential private wells and water quality for homeowners. Attend in-person or virtually via Zoom.

Doug's Ag Roots took hold when he joined National FFA Organization in high school and has been growing ever since, shaped by ranch work, his time working for Florida Cattlemen's Association, and a deep dedication to .

That early experience led him to earn a degree from the UF Animal Sciences Department and gain hands‑on experience working on Florida ranches, including time at Deseret Ranch. Those years in the saddle gave him a firsthand understanding of the real challenges cattle producers face every day.

Doug has worked in Extension for 30 years, first serving four years with UF IFAS Extension Polk County before spending the past 26 years with UF IFAS Extension Jackson County.

Today, Doug serves as county director and livestock agent.
His work focuses on:

➡️ beef cattle production
➡️ pasture and forage management
➡️ w**d identification and control
➡️ feeding and nutrition strategies
➡️ practical, informed management decisions

When asked what he wants stakeholders to know about his work, Doug said, "I want the people I work with to know that their farm matters and that they matter. The university hired me to be here to help them. Agriculture is a challenging, thin‑margin industry, and making the right decisions is critical. I'm here to listen, understand their situation, and provide good, unbiased information so they can be successful."

Several folks have asked about rainfall totals in May in Jackson County. In the first chart are the 9 weather stations collecting rainfall totals. The last 4 with the FL-JK in front of the names are volunteer reporters for the National Weather Service. Th bottom chart shows the change in soil moisture at the -8" depth at the UF FAWN Station north of Marianna on Highway 71.

Carol Dunaway, Jackson County Supervisor of Elections came to the Jackson Soil & Water Conservation District on May 13, 2026 to swear in a new board member. Michael Davis is now one of 5 elected volunteers that serve as the Supervisory Board of the Jackson County Soil & Water Conservation District. Congratulations Michael!

https://2026BayWellWaterWorkshop.eventbrite.com

Multi-County Private Well & Water Quality Workshop This multi-county workshop will focus on residential private wells and water quality for homeowners. Attend in-person or virtually via Zoom.

There is rain in the forecast!! Pam Knox, UGA Climatologist, explains how our weather patten is finally changing to allow more normal rainfall. Read more about it with this link:

Rain in the forecast | Climate and Agriculture in the Southeast We have finally seen a change in the weather pattern over the last week from a dominating high pressure center over the Southeast to more open flow from the Gulf into the region. This is bringing more moisture and the chance for multiple rain events as fronts are now able to move through the area. E...