Florida Starter Seed Packets and World Food Prices Down in April

Florida Starter Seed Packets and World Food Prices Down in April

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.

**Ag Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture are providing free starter seed packets across the state as part of the new Unity Gardens Initiative.

Floridians can now pick up their free starter packets from one of the 59 University of Florida IFAS extension offices that are home to a master garden volunteer program.

Eggplant, corn, sweet peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, and three different varieties of tomato seeds will be available.

www.fdacs.gov/News-Events/Press-Releases/2022-Press-Releases/Commissioner-Nikki-Fried-Announces-Unity-Garden-Starter-Seed-Packets-Available-Today

**World food prices took a small step down in April after reaching a record high in March.

Reuters reports the Food and Agriculture Organization’s food price index, which tracks the most globally-traded food commodities, averaged 158.5 points in April compared to 159.7 in March.

But, after dropping from the March high point, the April index is still almost 20 percent higher than last year.

**The Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee unanimously passed its Water Resources Development Act of 2022.

It’s good news for farmers who transport their crops through the infrastructure system like ports, inland waterways, locks and dams, and will allow them to remain competitive in the global market.

A proposal within the bill would permanently adjust the inland waterways cost-share to 75 percent general revenue and 25 percent Inland Waterways Trust Fund.

It would also eliminate the sunset provisions to preserve these changes in perpetuity.

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