Boosting Ag literacy - OKFB Foundation grants awarded

Sep 29, 2023

Agricultural literacy in Oklahoma is getting a boost, thanks to the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture. The foundation has recently awarded ten $500 mini grants to organizations including 4-H clubs, FFA chapters, and schools to fund educational projects around agriculture.

Organizations interested in these grants apply, listing their educational projects and outlining their goals. The foundation reviews these applications and awards the grants in two cycles each year, in March and September.

The 2023 grant recipients are working on a variety of engaging projects. From preparing different sausage recipes at Red Oak FFA to a sheep learning lab by Holdenville 4-H, the initiatives are diverse. Oklahoma Union Public Schools STEM Class is working on a comprehensive salsa production unit, while Central High FFA is focusing on meat judging and processing through an incubator and chicken coop project.

Among the other awardees, Milburn FFA is working on incubators for egg production, Navajo FFA is establishing a tower garden grow center, and Silo FFA is creating an agricultural literacy library box. Strother FFA is constructing bee hotels, Logan County Robotics Club is simulating farm challenges using robotics, and Cimarron FFA is involved in greenhouse revitalization.

These mini grants represent the continuous efforts of the OKFB Foundation in promoting agricultural education and literacy.

Source : wisconsinagconnection

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.