The pandemic has been hard on everyone, but as businesses begin opening back up around the country, it’s important to keep the spread of COVID-19 to a minimum. That’s why, as farmer’s markets and pick-your-own farms begin to open for strawberry season, the Virginia Department of Agriculture has released a guidance to help consumers and…
Since the beginning of the pandemic, many of us have turned to gardening as a way to deal with the stress and boredom of quarantine. Yet, because of the quarantine, many of us are also on tight budgets. In order to help you out, we’ll discuss some of our tips for gardening on a budget….
In 2018, industrial hemp was legalized in the U.S., as mounting evidence suggests that it could save the planet and support the economy. Now, the agriculture industry is depending on hemp to boost Florida’s economy after the dust kicked up by the current pandemic settles. What is Hemp and what are its Benefits? Hemp refers…
The first ever recorded multidecadal mega-drought in recorded U.S. history has plagued the Southwest for nearly twenty years. And scientists fear it’s going to get worse, especially with anthropogenic climate change fueling the fire. For gardeners in the Southwest, this is more than a nightmare. We gardeners in the East take water for granted; we…
In a previous article, we discussed how the coronavirus and the current pandemic will affect food supply in the U.S., dispelling some of the rumors circulating the internet. Now, we will examine the coronavirus’s affect on agriculture and aquaculture since then. Coronavirus’s Affect on Agriculture: Supply and Demand As Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has stated,…
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has published its 2020 Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen, which lists the produce with the highest and lowest pesticide concentrations. For health-conscious shoppers, especially those on a tight budget, this list could help keep you and your family safe. But first–why are pesticides a big deal? Why are pesticides used…
Gardening during the COVID-19 crisis has become quite popular, as more and more gardens have sprouted in West Virginia–and everywhere else–in the past few months. Since the quarantine began, people all over the country have flooded garden centers to begin a new (or continue a current) passion. There’s no wonder, really. Gardening is a therapeutic…
If you rushed to the grocery store at the beginning of March and were shocked to see empty aisles, you might now be wondering how the coronavirus will affect food production. After all, it doesn’t seem like there is much to go around. There are many misconceptions about agriculture, the food supply chain, and the…
The Agriculture Innovation Agenda, published in February of this year, is an initiative proposed by the USDA to increase food production by 40% while cutting the United States’ environmental footprint in half by 2050. Now, the USDA is seeking comment on this agenda from both the public and private sectors, due by August 1. What…
Easter is coming–and so are the rabbits! We’re not talking about the stuffed animals and chocolate-marshmallow bunnies we’ll soon be stuffing into Easter baskets for the kiddos. Rather, we’re talking about the ones with bright eyes and bushy tails–and your lettuce hanging out of their mouths! For gardeners, these cute little gardener guests are more…
