Florida

Florida Successfully Defends Lab-Grown Meat Ban in Court

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 12:43:12 GMT

A federal appeals court ruled that Florida, the first state to ban lab-grown meat, can continue to enforce state law SB 1084, keeping the state’s restrictions fully in place.

The March 23 ruling from a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the ban does not conflict with federal regulations.

Upside Foods, a California company that was approved to make cultivated chicken for U.S. sale in 2022, brought the case forward. The company argued that federal oversight should override Florida’s restrictions, but the court disagreed.

“Because Florida’s ban on lab-grown meat does not regulate Upside’s ingredients, premises, facilities, or operations, federal law does not preempt SB 1084,” wrote Circuit Judge Andrew Brasher, as reported by the Florida Phoenix .

SB 1084, which took effect in July 2024, bans the manufacture, sale and distribution of cultivated meat. Six other states — Alabama, Indiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska and Texas — have enacted similar bans since Florida took action.

Florida leaders who backed the ban celebrated the ruling. CBS 12 reports that Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson said it protects traditional farmers and argued that lab-grown meat isn’t proven safe. Gov. Ron DeSantis also praised the decision, saying lab-grown meat won’t be allowed in Florida.

Cultivated meat supporters say these bans block a growing industry, eliminate future jobs, and shut down marketplace competition before the products can gain a foothold, CBS 12 reports.

Signed by DeSantis in 2024 to support traditional agriculture, the state law makes violations punishable by up to 60 days in jail.

“Take your fake lab-grown meat elsewhere,” DeSantis said in Food Safety News in 2024. “We are not doing that in the State of Florida.”

The Farm Babe: 3 Ways To Become A More Effective Advocate

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 14:49:04 GMT

Florida-based Michelle Miller is a farmer, social media influencer and speaker well known for her brand “ The Farm Babe. ” Through these platforms, she connects with consumers and debunks misconceptions about modern agriculture.

Miller recently joined an episode of the Ag Inspo podcast with hosts Rena Striegel and Ron Rabo to share more about her platform and what others in the ag industry can do to better reach consumers.

Have a Point of View
One of the keys to reaching a large audience and gaining traction, Miller says, is to make sure your content stands out.

“Part of my driving force is I had more of a big city background. Sometimes farmers take their perspective for granted because it’s all they know and all they’ve ever done. But for somebody on the outside looking in, it’s pretty incredible,” she says. “People have no idea what a harvest looks like. They have no idea what a combine does. They don’t know how livestock are raised. They’ve never seen the birth of a calf. How cool is that? Share it.”

Find What You’re Comfortable With
Maybe you have an interesting message to share, but–like many farmers–aren’t the type who is comfortable in front of the camera. Miller says there’s a way to make that work, too.

“Some of the greatest people to follow, in my opinion, are great to follow because you feel like you know them,” she says. “What were to happen if you were to bring your dog, your kids, your spouse or that goofy grandma or somebody who makes people laugh?”

Other great storytelling tools are captions and voiceovers.

“Maybe the video is just your equipment, but through the caption you can say, ‘Here is my John Deere combine. When we started farming in the ‘80s, it was $50,000 and now this is $900,000.’ You can create a message that improves policy and raises awareness and education for the general public through the caption,” Miller says.

Shoot Your Shot
Sometimes reaching the consumer is as simple as taking a chance and contacting them directly.

Miller recalls doing this when Burger King released a commercial that painted agriculture in a negative light, promoting its new initiative of feeding cattle lemongrass to reduce methane emissions.

“I thought ‘what if we could just have a conversation?’ So I Google searched who the global chief marketing officer for Burger King was, and I just sent him a tweet politely explaining why we found the ad so offensive, and inviting him to come on out to the farm,” she explains.

Burger King took her up on that offer.

“Their C-suite executives came out to the farm, and then I put together a two day tour. We went to a methane digester, feed lots and my farm. I had Iowa State involved, Iowa Farm Bureau and some ruminant nutritionists,” Miller says. They ended up retracting that original ad, and they did a new ad. A new commercial was filmed on my farm, as well as in northeast Iowa with a bunch of other farmers.”

As far as how to get started as an agriculture advocate, Miller offers this advice:

“Just take a step back and try to think about what you do and why. What are the greatest parts of your job? Tell that story, because you might see it every day, but the average person doesn’t. That’s the content that you put out there.”

Producer Resources for Hurricane Helene Relief

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 17:43:27 GMT

As farmers and ranchers impacted by Hurricane Helene and the floods following begin assessing damages and loss, resources are available to help. The Category 4 hurricane affects producers across the Southeast from Florida northward into the Appalachians. Below is a list of resources for cattlemen and women to give and seek aide.

Florida
The Florida Cattlemen’s Association is collecting donations through their Florida Cattlemen’s Foundation: https://fca.memberclicks.net/foundationdonation#!/

For those wanting to donate to relief funds via check, please mail to:
Florida Cattlemen’s Foundation
Hurricane Helene Relief
P.O. Box 421929
Kissimmee, FL 34742-199

Georgia
To support Georgia cattle producers, donations can be sent via mail to:
Georgia Cattlemen’s Association
100 Cattlemen’s Dr.
Macon, GA 31220
Contact Georgia Cattlemen’s Association at (478)-474-6560 or gca@gabeef.org.

The Georgia Cattlemen’s Association is asking for donations of fencing materials. More information can be found on their Facebook page.

North Carolina
The North Carolina Cattlemen’s Association has asked for donations by check:
NC Cattlemen’s Association
2228 N Main Street
Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526
Memo- Hurricane Helene Response

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture has asked for donations to be made to:
• The North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund: https://pay.payitgov.com/ncdonations
• Red Cross - North Carolina Region: https://www.redcross.org/local/north-carolina.html

Tennessee
The following resources were compiled by the Southeast TN Young Farmers.

Appalachian Sustainable Development has an extensive list of resources:
https://www.asdevelop.org/hurricane-helene-emergency.../

RAFI also has great information:
https://www.rafiusa.org/blog/helene-disaster-support/

For those of us outside the area that want to help:

UT is putting together a list of people who can house and transport livestock for those in need. If this is something you can help with please fill out the form below:
https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSc3Wd5LujFedW.../viewform

For those wanting to offer hands-on assistance... Blue Ridge Women in Ag, based in Boone, is organizing a farm recovery volunteer corps. Here’s the sign up sheet:
https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSf6K4HCqmSRrm.../viewform

Also if you want to donate money specifically to farmer support, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project is still taking stock and checking in on farmers but will be offering farmer support into the future. https://asapconnections.org/donate

USDA Assistance
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) also reminds communities, farmers and ranchers, families and small businesses in the path of Hurricane Helene that USDA has programs that provide assistance in the wake of disasters. USDA staff in the regional, state and county offices stand ready and are eager to help.

USDA partnered with FEMA and other disaster-focused organizations and created the Disaster Resource Center . This central source of information utilizes a searchable knowledge base of disaster-related resources powered by agents with subject matter expertise. The Disaster Resource Center website and web tool now provide an easy access point to find USDA disaster information and assistance. USDA also developed a disaster assistance discovery tool specifically targeted to rural and agricultural issues. The tool walks producers through five questions that generate personalized results identifying which USDA disaster assistance programs can help them recover from a natural disaster.

USDA also encourages residents and small businesses in impact zones to contact a local USDA office to determine which assistance programs might meet their individual needs.

NCBA Relief Resources
As more information becomes available, please visit our website for more resources and ways to assist at ncba.org/producers/disaster-relief-resource s.

Iowa Third State to Create Legislation Regarding Lab-Grown Meat

Tue, 21 May 2024 14:15:35 GMT

In an effort to maintain trust with consumers and protect livestock producers, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds recently signed into law SF 2391 , a bill prohibiting the misbranding of certain food products, including lab-grown meat.

Beginning July 1, lab-grown meat and plant-based imitation meat and egg products will have to be labeled with words such as fake, lab-grown, meatless, imitation or vegan, if sold in Iowa stores. The labeling requirements also apply to meat alternatives made with insect protein.

Gov. Reynolds shared her response to signing SF 2391.

“This legislation prohibits companies from exploiting the trust consumers have with our livestock producers and misleading consumers into buying products they don’t want,” she says. “This is about transparency. It’s about the common-sense idea that a product labeled chicken, beef, or pork, should actually come from an animal.”

Rep. Heather Hora, R-Washington, sponsored the bill in the House. As a pork producer herself, she says the bill protects farmers’ checkoff dollars that are used to market meat and eggs.

According to an Iowa Public Radio (IPR) article, the law will require the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing to inspect food processing plants or grocery stores for compliance if they receive a credible complaint about food products being mislabeled as meat. The law also provides penalties for not following labeling rules.

Furthermore, the law prohibits school districts, community colleges and public universities in Iowa from purchasing lab-grown meat and any foods misbranded as meat or egg products. In addition, the law requires the state to request a federal waiver to prohibit the use of federal food assistance to buy imitation egg products.

While many praised the legislation, some Democrats said their issue was with the purchase of egg alternatives.

IPR reported Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, says he was proud to vote for the original version of the bill but had concerns with the final version.

“Truth in labeling is certainly something that I strongly believe in for consumer protection,” he says. “But I’m also concerned with consumer nutrition. And there are some people who can’t eat eggs because of allergies but still need the nutritive content that might be supplied by alternative products.”

That same day, Gov. Reynolds signed HF 2649 , a bill providing capital gains relief for farmers and ranchers selling certain classes of livestock. This was a bill to reinstate previous tax break exemptions that had ended in 2022.

“Our tax code should promote livestock production, which we know is often how beginning farmers get their start in agriculture,” says Rep. Derek Wulf, R-Hudson, who co-sponsored the bill. “We know that livestock production supports rural communities and drives our rural economic activity…We want to make sure that we don’t increase taxes on our livestock producers and farmers here in this state.”

Continued legislation against lab-grown meat

Iowa becomes the third state in the country to pass legislation regarding lab-grown meat. Florida and Alabama both passed laws banning the sale of the cell cultured alternative meat product in their states this month. Florida’s law was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on May 1, 2024, and Alabama’s Gov. Kay Ivey signed the Alabama Bill , which the prohibits “the manufacture, sale, or distribution of food products made from cultured animal cells,” on May 7.

Jack Hubbard, executive director of the Center for the Environment and Welfare, shares that consumers have several concerns in the matters of cell cultured meat.

“Policymakers nationwide are grappling with growing consumer concern regarding lab-grown meat’s use of immortalized cells, bioreactors, chemicals and the lack of long-term health studies,” Hubbard says. “I think a lot of this legislative activity is politicians and elected representatives voicing and acting on the concerns of constituents who are saying ‘what is this stuff and have we done our due diligence.’ And to be frank, there is a major yuck factor that a lot of people have when they actually learn about how this is made.”

Hubbard see additional states likely following suit in creating legislation.

“From a transparency perspective, it just seems like the right thing that consumers ought to have a right to know what they’re buying,” he says.

Read more...
North American Cattle Groups Advocates for Oversight of Lab-Grown Proteins

Florida Becomes First State to Ban the Sale of Lab-Grown Meat

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 16:26:13 GMT

The first bill banning lab-grown meat was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida on May 1. According to SB 1084, the bill prohibits the manufacture for sale, sale, holding or offering for sale, or distribution of cultivated meat in the state.

In a press conference in Hardee County, which is one of the top five cattle-producing counties in the state, the Governor spoke about the importance of supporting rural economies and agriculture.

“We’re fighting back against an ideology that ultimately wants to eliminate meat production in the U.S. and around the globe,” DeSantis said. “In the state of Florida we’ve put down the marker very clearly; we stand with agriculture. We stand with the cattle ranchers. We stand with our farmers because we understand it’s important for the backbone of the state. It’s important for our culture. It’s important for our heritage so the bill that I’m going to sign today is going to say basically take your fake, lab-grown meat elsewhere. We’re not doing that in the state of Florida.”

Joining the Governor during the conference were Wilton Simpson, commissioner of agriculture; Dale Carlton, president-elect of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association; Pat Durden, president of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association; and Sen. Jay Collins who worked on the bill.

In his remarks, Simpson said that food security is national security.

“It doesn’t always rise to the height of national security, but think about if there were no groceries just for one week in the grocery store, you would have total chaos in this country, and if that’s not national security, I don’t know what it is,” he said. “We get up every day thinking how can we have the most safe, affordable, abundant food anywhere in the world, and Florida is going to do its share of growing that product. We work hard every day to give our farmers the tools they need to accomplish these things.”

Both cattlemen expressed appreciation for the Governor and the legislature for protecting Florida’s cattle industry by signing this bill.

There has been an ongoing debate across the country in regard to cultivated meat products. Currently, lab-grown meat is only approved to be sold in the U.S. and Singapore. Italy was the first country in the EU to ban lab-grown meat, a decision made in February 2024.

The Rich Legacy of the Florida Beef Cattle Industry

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 16:19:59 GMT

The first cattle to arrive in what is now the United States were brought to Florida by Ponce de Leon in 1521. Over time, cattle ranching was established in Florida and the cowboys who used whips to bring cattle out of the swamps and thickets became known as Cracker cowboys and the cows known as Cracker cattle. Cracker cattle are still found in Florida today.

However, the beef cattle industry in Florida today is modern and big business. On January 1, 2023, Florida was the number nine beef cow state in the country with nearly 900 thousand head. Several of the top ten cattle cow-calf ranches in the country are in Florida. The long legacy of cattle ranching in Florida includes many multi-generational operations that are still going strong.

Last week, a group from Oklahoma, including members of the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association and from Oklahoma State University, visited Florida to learn about cattle and agricultural production in an environment unlike anywhere else in the country.

The biggest concentration of beef cattle in Florida is in the region to the west and a bit north of Lake Okeechobee. The semi-tropical climate of southern Florida is unique and cow-calf production faces many special challenges but some advantages as well, compared to the rest of the country. This area is largely frost-free but faces a pronounced dry season each year. Forage biomass is relatively abundant, but the quality is low and deteriorates quickly in dry periods.

The heat, humidity, pests and disease challenges are such that most cows include some bos indicus influence in order to survive and reproduce. Crossbreeding is important to balance adaptation to the environment and the market demands for carcass quality. Most calves are fall-born and are marketed the following summer. Much attention is devoted to calf health pre-weaning and calves are shipped right off the cow to western feedlots with relatively few problems. Summer climate in Florida does not work well to wean and precondition calves and it is important that calves arrive to their destination in the middle of the country by early September at the latest so that they can acclimatize prior to colder and more variable weather conditions in the fall.

The Oklahoma group visited several cow-calf operations to see the pastures, cows and conditions and hear from producers in the region. Ranching in Florida has many unique challenges beyond typical cattle production and marketing concerns, including numerous issues and government programs relative to water management, resource conservation, wildlife, and predators, along with continual urban development. The group also learned about related agricultural enterprises including sugarcane, citrus, and vegetable production.

This region of Florida is also a major dairy production area, and the group visited a large dairy as well. The beef and dairy industries mutually support each other by combining to provide a critical mass necessary for cattle feed infrastructure and markets. By-products from the sugarcane industry (molasses) and the citrus industry (citrus pulp) are important local feed resources for cattle production. The severe reduction in citrus production due to the disease citrus greening is having ripple effects on cattle production due to the loss of citrus pulp as a feed resource. The group also enjoyed an airboat ride and a chance to see some alligators up close.

A big thanks to Buck Island Ranch, Butler Oaks Farm, Lykes Brothers Ranch, the Florida Seminole tribe, Larson Dairy and Williamson Ranch for hosting the group on their operations. The trip was capped by an evening of conversation and an excellent steak dinner with several local ranchers and members of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association. A special thanks to Lauren Butler, Okeechobee County Extension Director and other extension folks in the region for the terrific arrangements and logistical support. There is no better way to get a new perspective on your own operation than to see how the cattle industry works in a very different environment.

Thousands of Florida Ranches Damaged By Hurricane Ian

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 19:42:26 GMT

A survey of cattle ranchers following Hurricane Ian found 5,822 suffered significant damage to structures, fences and equipment. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said the survey indicated 250 dead animals and 257,194 calves in stressful conditions awaiting shipment to out-of-state feedlots in the aftermath of the giant storm.

Ian made landfall on Sept. 28 as a Category 4 Storm. Total infrastructure losses to the beef industry were pegged at $215.4 million to $262 million.

FDACS estimates more than 18,000 ranches in the state with beef cattle one of the most important land uses. Data suggests more than 1.63 million animals graze on approximately 6.1 million acres, with annual sales of $475 million in 2019.

The state’s forage crops were also severely affected by floods and many ranchers who lost forage crops to flooding will need to purchase hay and other feeds to care for their animals. An estimated 1,582,517 acres of pasture experienced significant erosion and flood damage from the storm.

Total losses to Florida’s agriculture production and infrastructure from the hurricane were estimated at $1.18 billion to $1.89 billion.

The agency estimates a cost of $12,000 to $15,000 per ranch for cleanup, another $5,000 in damage to equipment and $20,000 to $25,000 per ranch in damage to barns, sheds, housing, roads and other infrastructure.

Florida Producers Scramble to Reach Cattle After Hurricane Ian

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 13:48:04 GMT

Farmers in Florida rushed to reach their cattle on Thursday after trees downed by Hurricane Ian broke fences used to contain the animals and rain from the fierce storm flooded fields used for grazing.

One of the mightiest storms to hit the U.S. mainland in recent years, Ian flooded communities on the Gulf Coast before plowing across the peninsula to the Atlantic seaboard.

The hurricane washed out roads, hampering farmers’ attempts to corral cattle before they escape fenced areas in a potential threat to public safety.

“We’ve got trees all over the fence lines right now,” said Brian Shoop, who raises cattle in Hillsborough County, where Tampa is located. “The biggest concern is cattle getting out of the pastures and on the roadways.”

Cattle first arrived in the United States in Florida in 1521 on an expedition led by Spanish explorer Juan Ponce De Leon, according to the state and the Florida Beef Council. The state now has more than 1.6 million cattle, about 2% of the U.S. herd, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.

Nationally, cattle supplies this summer fell to the lowest level in about seven years as producers in the western United States increased slaughter due to intense drought.

Shoop, who owns about 750 mother cows, said he restricted cattle at one location to roughly 40 acres from 300 acres while he repairs fences.

“It’s only a temporary Bandaid,” he said. “You shut ‘em down to a small area and you’ve got to worry about whether you have enough feed and water.”

Flooding is preventing some cattle from eating or resting, as fields were already wet from rains before the hurricane, said JB Wynn, a producer in Lake Wales.

“They don’t have any grass to graze on or anywhere they can lay down,” Wynn said.

Some help is coming from out of state. Stephen Broadwell, owner of livestock-services company Ranch Solutions in Erwin, North Carolina, said he is coordinating volunteers to travel to Florida to repair fences or supply feed.

“Everybody is just scrambling,” Broadwell said.

(Reporting by Tom Polansek; Editing by Bill Berkrot)

A Big 'Missed-Steak' Results in Domestic Assault Charges

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 20:38:09 GMT

As the old saying goes, “if momma ain’t happy, then no one’s gonna be happy.”

In this case, last Sunday night, during a heated verbal argument and under intoxication, one Florida woman claimed she was “tired of his behavior and their arguing,” grabbed a raw steak and chucked it at her partner of 20 years.

The criminal complaint states the defendant, Rochelle Wright of Tarpon Springs, Fla., “became angry at the victim while he was sitting in his chair over cooking dinner.”

In response to the situation, Wright reached for a raw steak as her “weapon” of choice.

Wright missed her target as the steak struck the left arm rest of the chair and the wall directly behind the victim, the complaint explains.

In this case, the “weapon” was not confiscated by police.

The incident for the woman turned out to be a big ‘missed-steak’ as she spent the night in the county jail on a misdemeanor charge of domestic assault.

Southern Cattle Lands Ranch Offered Via Sealed Bids

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:51:14 GMT

The nearly 10,000-acre Southern Cattle Lands ranch in the Florida panhandle is for sale via sealed bids. Considered one of the premier cattle ranches in the South, the property is being offered in 15 tracts ranging from 168 acres up to 1,417+ acres or in its entirety. The ranch had previously been listed for $55 million.

Located near Marianna, FL, the property consists of 9,842+/- acres and includes 41 wells, eight center pivots, top farmland soils, a spring-fed 130+/- acre lake, many miles of springs & creeks, and thousands of acres of pasture. It offers an array of improvements, including eight houses, numerous barns & pens, a 75,000 sq. ft. sale barn with auction auditorium, an embryological transfer facility, and a boat house. In 2016, a version of the property including cattle and 14,000 acres hit the market for $55 million and was profiled by The Wall Street Journal.

Bids may be submitted by October 24, 2019 at 2:00 ET to the law firm of Davis, Schnitker, Reeves, and Browning. Traditional offers may be submitted prior to the auction date. For more information, visit https://jonkohler.com/property/florida/southern-cattle-company/ or call Jon Kohler at 850-508-2999.

“There has not been a time in recent memory when a buyer has been able to pick and choose from this much high-quality agricultural land in Florida,” said Kohler. “An auction opportunity like this in Florida is very rare, if not unprecedented.”

Land Overview:

9,842.64 +/- total acres
6,522 +/- acres in federally designated Opportunity Zone
Eight center pivots totaling 914+/- acres currently irrigated
Plans/schematics for an additional 2,590+/- acres of center pivots
Generous duration water-use permitting already negotiated or currently in-house to be approved by NWFWMD (Three separate permits)
Waddell’s Spring with magnitude 2 and bottled alkaline water quality, permits being secured, three observation wells already drilled
Spring-fed 130+/- acre lake “Waddell’s Mill Pond”
41 wells; 15 additional permitted irrigation wells not yet constructed, three new wells are proposed and pending at the NWFWMD.
2.6 +/- miles on Russ Mill Creek, 1.4 +/- miles on Spring Branch, 1.9 +/- miles on Waddell’s Mill Creek, and 1 +/- mile on Muddy Creek

Structures and Other Improvements:

75,000 sq.ft. sale barn with auction auditorium, corporate offices, and entertainment facilities
Show barn
Eight houses for employees and/or rental income
Donor barn/embryological transfer facility
Three hay barns, numerous equipment barns and sheds
Boathouse on Waddell Mill Pond
More than 150 miles of fence
Five working set-ups/working pens

Grass-fed Beef Finds Niche with Some Consumers, Ranchers

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:45:06 GMT

A few Florida ranchers and consumers prefer grass-fed beef.
By: Susan Jacobson, Orlando Sentinel

Cow No. 150, her pregnant belly bulging, nosed around rancher David Strawn’s pickup hoping to find something good to eat in the bed of the truck.

For decades, Strawn’s family raised cows, lambs and pigs on this lakeside spread in northwest Volusia County, Fla.

But when his father died in 2002, Strawn shifted the family business to grass-fed cattle, eventually eliminating the other animals. Strawn loves a good steak, but he insists on knowing that the creature it came from led the best life possible.

That means no antibiotics. No hormones. No grain. No confinement.

“These guys enjoy our pastures, the lakes,” Strawn, 79, said recently as he gave a tour of his Deep Creek Ranch. “They get gentle treatment. Their bad moments are very short — at the end.”

Advocates of grass-fed meat say it is leaner and contains a higher percentage of healthful fats, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and fewer calories. It also is better for the environment, provides jobs in rural communities and is kinder to the cattle, goats, sheep and bison destined to wind up on a dinner plate, according to the American Grassfed Association, which was formed in 2003.

“Those animals that are raised in a pen are the cow equivalent of a couch potato,” said Strawn, a retired Brevard-Seminole circuit judge.

Not everyone agrees. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, which represents beef producers, defends the use of feedlots, where cattle are fattened on grain in their final months after an initial diet of grass.

The animals receive individual attention from veterinarians and nutritionists and are protected from predators, spokesman Daren Williams said.

The association and a meat scientist at the University of Florida also say the purportedly superior nutritional benefits of grass-fed beef are overblown.

“There’s little definitive data to suggest grass-fed beef is healthier for you,” said Chad Carr, an associate professor in the department of animal sciences. “Both are an excellent source of dietary protein.”

One thing is clear: Grass-fed meat usually is more expensive — sometimes twice as much per pound. That’s because small producers need more pasture land and have higher operating costs than large commercial farms. Grass-fed cattle also grow to slaughter weight more slowly and yield less meat, requiring higher prices to make a profit, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

It takes at least two and sometimes more than three years for grass-fed cattle to fatten as opposed to 15 to 18 months for commercial cattle, said Marilyn Noble, a spokeswoman for the American Grassfed Association.

At Strawn’s 700-acre ranch north of DeLand, each of the 150 or so animals eats about 25 pounds a day of pesticide-free grass, sorghum, millet and clover, and, in the winter, hay and alfalfa.

No one is sure what percentage of the market grass-fed has captured, partly because it has no universally accepted definition. Estimates range from less than 2 percent to 5 percent.

Not all brands are certified by the American Grassfed Association, which has strict requirements. Deep Creek Ranch is not. In past years, before the grass-fed certification was available, the ranch was Certified Humane, Strawn said. The operation would qualify for both certifications, he said, but in semi-retirement he wants to avoid the complications of paperwork.

To qualify, animals must be fed only grass and forage from the time they are weaned until they are slaughtered. They must never be confined to feedlots, given antibiotics or growth hormones and must be born and raised on U.S. family farms, which are audited annually. The USDA’s definition is less stringent.

Grass-fed meat has grown more popular in the past few years among Central Florida consumers concerned about health, animal welfare and farm-to-table eating, said Emily Rankin, owner of Local Roots farm store at East End Market in Orlando.

Satellite Beach elementary-school teacher Erika Maier has been buying grass-fed beef from Deep Creek Ranch for several years and said it’s worth the trip from Brevard to Volusia County. This month she split a 935-pound cow with several other families who shared the $2,571 cost, plus $300 for processing.

Maier freezes her portion and makes dog food out of the tongue, liver and heart for her German shepherd mix, Buddy. She picks up her meat, already packaged, at a small slaughterhouse near Seville.

Strawn used to sell to restaurants in South Florida, but he decided to scale back and deal directly with private parties only, getting to know his customers and advising them on cuts of meat. Strawn’s love of the business extends to preserving the pine, oak and palmetto trees and deer, wild turkey and fox squirrels that share the land with the cows, steers and bulls.

“I really like growing things,” said Strawn, whose boyhood jobs on the ranch were to drive mules and wagons and shoot cattle in the head. “I like caring for things.”

It takes some people a while to get used to the firmer bite and reduced marbling grass-fed beef often has, but Maier said it is delicious and she feels healthier since she and her family have been eating it.

“We need to keep our money in the community,” said Maier, a mother of a 10-year-old and a 12-year-old. “We need to help the local farmer and we need to do what’s right for the animals.”

Cattle Industry Wants Marketing of Florida Beef

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:42:12 GMT

Florida cattle officials are asking the Legislature to create a marketing program that could raise up to $900,000 annually to promote beef consumption and research in the state.

The effort is called the “Beef Checkoff Program,” after the 30-year-old national effort of the same name. The Ledger reports that the Florida version also would raise money through a $1 assessment on the sale of every head of cattle.

If approved by the Legislature, which begins its annual 60-day session March 3, and the governor, Florida cattle ranchers also must consent to the program by a majority vote in a referendum to be held within 6 months of its enactment.

Disney Buys 965 Acre Florida Ranch for $23 Million

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:19:25 GMT

A Florida ranch near a Disney resort community has been purchased for $23 million.

Media outlets in Florida are reporting that Walt Disney World Co. bought the BK Ranch near the master-planned community of Celebration that was founded by Disney in 1994.

The Osceola County ranch is located approximately 10 miles south of Walt Disney World and is zoned for development. A master plan for the ranch slates the property for 3,000 homes and 378,000 square feet of commercial and office space.

At the price tag Disney would have paid $23,834 per acre for the BK Ranch.

Despite the prospects of another resort community, Disney may opt to keep the land as it is says Jerry McGratty, broker and owner of Westhampton Realty. Instead the land would be used as a conservation area to aid in water management for the park.

“I do not believe they will ever develop it,” McGratty adds.

In 2014, Disney made a similar purchase of a 3,000 acre failed resort community called Mira Lago. The land south of Poinciana was bought to mitigate wetlands from construction on Disney’s resort and park developments in the area.

For more on other ranches that are for sale read the following stories:

4,000-acre South Florida Ranch on Market for $26.3 Million

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:24:14 GMT

A working cattle ranch in South Florida has been listed to sell for $26.3 million.

The BR Ranch in DeSoto County encompasses 4,047 acres total. The entire ranch is fenced for cattle and can be grazed in a rotational grazing system.

The ranch has 1,900 of improved grass and fields that can be utilized for the cattle operation, according to the listing agency Jon Kohler & Associates . For that acreage 1,100 acres are improved pasture planted to Bahia, Bermuda and Hermanthia grasses. The other 800 acres are crop fields that have been laser leveled and include irrigation tile system with pumps.

Of the 800 acres of fields the ranch has been leasing 300 acres at a rate of $500 per acre. Crops grown include tomato, watermelon, various vegetables, hay and sod.

There are two houses located on the property. The Cypress Lodge is 2,900 square feet with 3-bedrooms and 3-bathrooms. The lodge has pine and cypress woodwork throughout the house. The Ranch House also known as “The Ponderosa” is 3,037 square feet with 4-bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms.

Other ranch improvements are two horse barns, working pens, dog kennels and a number of barns for hay and equipment storage.

Wildlife found on the BR Ranch include Osceola turkey, deer, wild hog, and wild and released quail. The ranch is also known for its waterfowl and has great fishing.

“Location, location, location...rarely does one find a trophy ranch of this caliber so close to the affluence, conveniences and energy of Southwest Florida’s great hotspots,” says Jon Kohler, the listing agent for the property.

The ranch is located 16 miles from Punta Gorda and is less than two hours south of Tampa . Neighboring the ranch on the east property line is the seventh largest land owner in the U.S., billionaire Brad Kelley , the founder of Bull Durham and USA Gold discount cigarettes. The Water Management District borders the ranch to the south.

“The ranch is close but also protected,” Kohler says.

The current asking price of $26,305,500 equates to $6,500 per acre.

A video tour of the ranch can be watched below:

Publix Recalls Ground Beef Following E. Coli Outbreak in Florida

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:24:03 GMT

A voluntary recall has been enacted by a Florida grocery chain after 18 people reported becoming ill after eating ground chuck from the store.

Publix Super Markets Inc., a Lakeland, Fla. based grocer, voluntarily announced the recall on Aug. 30 for an undetermined amount of ground beef products made from chuck that may be contaminated with Escherichia coli O26.

The products in question were purchased by consumers from June 25 through July 31.

The ground chuck products in question include the following:

Ground Chuck
Ground Chuck Burgers
Gourmet Burgers (Jalapeno & Cheddar, Pimento & Cheese, Bacon & Cheddar, Bacon & Fried Onion, Blue Cheese, and Swiss & Mushroom)
Seasoned Ground Chuck Burgers (Badia, Mesquite, Montreal, and Steakhouse)
Meatballs (Bacon & Cheddar, Bacon & Fried Onion, Blue Cheese, Jalapeno & Cheddar, Swiss & Mushroom, and Spanish)
Meatloaf (Seasoned and Grillers)
Slider (Bacon & Cheddar, Bacon & Fried Onion, Ground Chuck, Blue Cheese, Jalapeno & Cheddar, and Swiss & Mushroom)
Stuffed Peppers

According to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) , an epidemiological investigation identified 18 case-patients, predominately from Florida, who became ill from July 5 to July 25.

“Food safety is our top priority. We have been working closely with various federal agencies as we share the common goal of maintaining food safety and public health. We urge our customers to make sure they no longer have ground chuck products purchased in the affected Florida counties from June 25 through July 31 in their freezers,” says Maria Brous, Publix media and community relations director. “Customers should dispose of the product or bring it in for a full refund.”

The ground chuck may have been purchased in the following Florida counties: Brevard, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Lucie, Sumter and Volusia.

Florida Publix stores outside of these counties as well as stores in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia are not included in this voluntary recall.

Products currently for sale in Publix stores are not part of this voluntary recall and should be considered safe for proper cooking and consumption.

The source of the contamination has not been determined.

FSIS has called it a Class 1 Recall with a “high” health risk.

E. coli can be potentially deadly causing dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps 2–8 days (3–4 days, on average) after exposure the organism. FSIS recommends that any consumers who purchased the product to not consume it and either throw it away or return to the store where it was purchased.

All raw beef should be cooked to a temperature of 160°F to reduce the risk of any food borne illness by bacteria according the FSIS. A meat thermometer will help in determining if the food has reached a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria.

Publix customers who have purchased the products in question may return them to their local store for a full refund. Customers with additional questions may call the company’s customer care department at 1-800-242-1227 or visit its website at www.publix.com/contactus . For more information about food handling practices when cooking meat, please visit the Partnership for Food Safety Education’s website at http://www.fightbac.org/grill-master/ .

Cattle Corral Criminal in Florida During Police Chase

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:23:51 GMT

Cattle provide a lot of different products such as hamburgers, butter, footballs and insulin. Now bovines can add another talent to their resume: cops.

In a pasture near Sanford, Florida, a herd of cows and calves were instrumental in chasing down a suspected car jacker.

The Sanford Police Department were in pursuit of a stolen Subaru on August 5 when it crashed into a ditch while trying to turn a corner. The driver, Jennifer Anne Kaufman, took off into a nearby pasture while one passenger stayed in the SUV. Another passenger also tried evading the police but was quickly arrested when a police K9 caught them.

Assisting from the air in spotting Kaufman as she ran across the pasture at night was the Seminole County Sheriff’s Department helicopter alert team who were utilizing night vision. A video shared on Facebook by the Seminole County Sheriff’s Department shows approximately 20 cows and calves chasing Kaufman back and forth across a pasture.

The pilot of the helicopter even says “actually a large group of cows is following her” and “looks like they may attack her.”

After a few passes through the pasture with the cattle chasing her, Kaufman eventually crawls through a fence and is soon arrested by the Sanford Police Department who were on the ground.

In the social media post the sheriff’s department thank the cow cops saying, “A herd of cattle provided law enforcement a big assist, repeatedly following and helping corral one who strayed on to their turf!”

Dogs and horses are often utilized by law enforcement. Now, it looks like they’ll have some fellow members of the animal kingdom joining the police force with this group of cattle in Florida.

Watch the video of the aspiring cattle cops below:

Florida and Georgia Stores Remove Cattle Feed After Increase in Deaths

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:23:08 GMT

Florida officials are investigating an apparent increase in cattle deaths across the state, with investigators focusing on one particular brand of feed.

The Florida Times-Union reported Saturday that state Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried said no specific cause of the cattle deaths has been pinpointed. But stores in Florida and southeast Georgia are voluntarily removing from shelves Producer’s Pride 20% All Natural Cattle Cube, manufactured by Purina Animal Nutrition.

Tractor Supply Company voluntarily has removed the feed from all 40 stores. Fried says Purina Animal Nutrition has initiated a voluntary market withdrawal of the product as well.

It’s not clear how many cattle have been affected. Statewide, there are an estimated one million cows, bulls and heifers that produce approximately 800,000 calves annually with a total value over $1 billion.

6 Arrested in Separate Florida Cattle Thefts; 8 Cows Missing

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:20:37 GMT

Six men have been charged in two separate cattle thefts at a Florida pasture, and authorities are trying to find eight missing cows.

Polk County Sheriff’s officials say four cows and four calves were stolen in April from a Lakeland pasture. Investigators found its fence cut open.

In a Facebook post Friday, sheriff’s officials said three men were arrested for grand theft of livestock and dealing in stolen property.

A tip led investigators this month to one suspect, who sold cattle for $4,000 at an April auction. The sheriff’s office was working to find those animals.

In a statement posted Saturday, officials said three other men attempted to steal two more calves from the same pasture June 8. Those men face charges of grand theft of livestock and confining animals without food or water.

Cattle Ranchers Want More Florida-grown Beef on the Table

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:17:25 GMT

By: Lauren Delgado, Orlando Sentinel

Coming soon to your grocery store and dining table: steak from cattle born and raised in Florida.

Making Florida-grown beef more available is the hope of 13 cattle ranchers who have formed Florida Cattle Ranchers LLC. Among its members is Lightsey Cattle Co., which owns several ranches including one in Osceola County.

Demand for local beef inspired the ranchers to join together, said Cary Lightsey, co-owner of Lightsey Cattle. People called his ranch looking for beef products. Most were millennials, he said, or 18 to 34 year olds.

Florida-grown beef is a departure from the relatively recent practice of sending young cattle to feedlots in Western states before slaughter.

“We want it homegrown,” Lightsey said.

Consumers want food that they perceive as natural and fresh, said David Portalatin, an analyst with market researchers NPD. The trend is one of the biggest movements in the way consumers eat today.

“The word fresh specifically carries a lot of power,” he said. People in their 20s and 30s, he said, are eating and demanding fresh foods earlier in life than past generations.

Today’s consumers are still cost-conscious but are willing to consider value beyond low price, said Portalatin. They want to feed their family better — fresh, local food may be a way they perceive how to do it.

“You can charge a premium if the perceived value is there for the consumer,” he said.

To further connect with millennials and their families, Florida Cattle Ranchers is developing a special bar code for each of its products (a piece of steak, a menu item at a restaurant). The code will link customers to a video that will show where the cattle was raised, down to the ranch’s owners.

“Every producer would love to be able to showcase their own product,” Lightsey said. “It’s always been in the back of our mind, but we didn’t have the ingredients to do it before.”

Florida’s history as a beef-producing state dates to the 1500s with the arrival of Spanish explorers and their cattle. The state’s ideal climate, good soil and plentiful grass make it an optimal place for the industry.

By the 1950s and 1960s, however, it became more efficient to send cattle to Western feedlots and processing plants, said Dusty Holley with the Florida Cattlemen’s Association.

It was cheaper to ship cattle to the grain than vice versa. The dry, sometimes cooler climate out West also made it easier for cattle to fatten quickly.

Today’s high moisture corn, good genetics and quality beef make it possible to raise cattle in Florida, Lightsey said.

The Florida Cattle Ranchers’ products will have the “Fresh from Florida” designation. Members can use the brand to indicate their product is from the state — and benefit from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ marketing efforts, said Aaron Keller, the agency’s press secretary.

Other Florida cattle purveyors with that designation include North Florida Natural Black Angus in Lake City, Deep Roots Meat in Greenville, the Seminole Tribe, and Buckhead Beef in Auburndale.

To be “Fresh From Florida,” the cattle must be born and raised in Florida, and fed on Florida produce. They can leave the state for up to 21 days, in this case, to be slaughtered and processed.

Ten years ago Emily Rankin, the owner of Central Florida based farm-to-restaurant distributor Local Roots, would have questioned whether the cattle were truly “farm to table” if they left the state for processing.

Rankin now sees the positives in how the cattlemen are filling gaps in infrastructure.

“There’s a version of what we want the world to be like and the version of where we are,” she said.

The infrastructure for large-scale processing that isn’t cost-prohibitive isn’t in Florida yet.

“This is the first step,” Rankin said. “The infrastructure will come as more and more people make this change and it will become more and more affordable.”

Florida Cattle Ranchers is in the market for buyers such as grocery store chains for their products. The cattle are about to start feeding in preparation for slaughter and market, a process that could take 3 to 6 months.

Each participating rancher pledged 250 cattle and an undisclosed amount of money to start, with the option of pledging more later. There will also be a “B Class” membership for other ranchers to join the business venture in the future.

The cattlemen are optimistic about their new venture, Lightsey said.

“We hope this thing will be around 100 years from now.”

Cattle Drive Draws Focus to Florida's Cowboy History

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:15:09 GMT

Some cowboys had selfie-sticks, and others posted regularly on Facebook while helping to herd more than 400 head of cattle more than 50 miles through central Florida.

Despite their efforts to re-create the life of Florida cowboys from the 19th century by wearing bonnets, suspenders and cowboy hats, and sleeping in sod fields at night, the more than 400 participants who took part in the once-in-a-decade cattle drive through the heart of Florida this week couldn’t help but allow for little bits of the 21st century to seep in.

Semi-trailers hauled catered food from campsite to campsite for the weeklong trek. Participants like Doug Yarborough regularly checked his cellphone for messages while on horseback in the middle of fields where there was nothing but cows, sod, palm fronds and cow paddies.

“It’s like going back in time, but you get to bring along modern things,” said Yarborough, whose family has a ranch in Geneva, near Orlando.

Alexi Gutierrez, who makes and fits horseshoes for living, installed two car seats that can recline and have armrests for comfort at the front of his covered wagon pulled by mules. His friend, Bryce Burnett, also a farrier, teased him that he had forgotten to install cup-holders.

“You can’t drink and drive,” Gutierrez shot back.

The purpose of the once-a-decade Great Florida Cattle Drive was to draw attention to Florida’s deep cowboy history at a time when the state is known more for Disney World fantasies, South Beach flashiness, Panama City Beach spring break rowdiness and Cape Canaveral rocket launches. This week’s drive was the third one since 1995. It ends with a celebration at the Kenansville Silver Spurs Arena on Saturday.

“We try to remember the way it used to be and draw attention that the cattle industry was the first industry in America,” said Doyle Conner Jr., who is chairman of the cattle drive.

Spanish explorers brought horses and Andalusian cattle to the New World in the 16th century, making Florida the nation’s oldest cattle-raising state. Today, Florida’s $531 million cattle industry has 1.7 million cattle and calves, and it’s the 17th largest in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Most of Florida’scattle are used for breeding and nursing, and they’re typically shipped out West once they get near adulthood.

“You do whatever you can to keep it going,” said Linda Ballatine Brown, whose husband’s family will have been running a ranch in Osceola County for six generations, if her grandchildren eventually takeover as expected. “It’s a tough life. You have to love the land to do it.”

Florida’s cowboys differ from their more famous Western counterparts in a few ways. They are better known for using whips than ropes, and hence earned the name “crackers” from the sound of a cracking whip. They liked to be called “cow hunters” rather than cowboys since the job often involves searching for cattle in swamps and through sawgrass fields. They’re more likely to wear lace-up boots than pull-on boots since Florida’s swampy terrain often means wet feet which makes pull-on boots difficult to take off.

Some things never change in cowboy life, whether in the 19th or 21st century, such as the popularity of farriers like Gutierrez and Burnett. Every couple of miles, riders stopped them and asked for help with their horses’ feet. Holly Huffman-Pope’s horse, Rocky, had an abscess in his hoof, and Burnett cut out the infection so that it would drain.

“We hope he will be able to finish the trip,” said Huffman-Pope, who has a ranch in Polk City. “Horses come first. Riders come second.”

While there was help for horses, there was no AAA tire-repair service for the dozen or so wagons on the ride that stretched through several ranches and state land in Osceola County. A tire on Malcom Jessup’s covered wagon went flat less than a mile from the campsite on the second day of the cattle drive. Jeff Parker rode up on his horse, carrying a red portable power pack to pump air into the tires.

“You don’t see this often on a cattle drive,” said Parker, referring to the power pack.

But it didn’t help since the hole in the tire was too big. After a cellphone call, a mechanic from the local farm stopped by with a replacement tire as more than a dozen cowboys stood around and watched, including Deborah Ritchie, of Jacksonville.

“I just texted my daughter, ‘How many cowboys does it take to change a wagon tire?’” said Ritchie, deadpan.

Study: Non-native Grass Invasion, Prescribed Fires, Deadly Ecological Combination

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:09:42 GMT

Invasive stiltgrass is bad enough by itself, crowding out native plant and insect species in about 25 eastern U.S. states, including Florida. It can also inhibit tree seedling survival and growth, and it can change the availability of nitrogen in the soil.

In general, invasions of non-native plant species can reduce biodiversity and alter ecosystems. In 2013, 1,585 prescribed fires were used to burn about 290,000 acres in eight eastern U.S. states. Scientists have used prescribed fires to effectively control some invasive plants, but new evidence suggests fires may promote stiltgrass invasions.

If land managers perform prescribed fires — normally used to manage ecosystems and prevent wildfires – in stiltgrass-invaded areas, native trees can be killed by the more intense fires caused by burning stiltgrass, said Luke Flory, an assistant professor of ecology at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

“What we found is that adding fire to stiltgrass-invaded forests results in unusually intense fires,” said Flory, who led the new study. “The fire is going to be so hot and burn so hot for so long, it’s going to kill a large proportion of tree seedlings.”

The study, published this week in the Journal of Applied Ecology, marks the first empirical evidence that fires in stiltgrass-invaded areas suppress the regeneration of trees, including economically and ecologically important oak species, Flory said.

Stiltgrass is native to Asia and was introduced to the U.S. in the early 1900s. It’s now in more than half the U.S., largely east of the Mississippi River, including areas of the Florida Panhandle. Once it invades, it often takes years to eradicate.

“This is one more reason why stiltgrass is a major issue in the eastern U.S.,” Flory said.

While a doctoral student at Indiana University, Flory led a separate study to investigate how native species responded to stiltgrass removal. Then, as a postdoctoral research associate at IU from 2008-2010, Flory’s research team conducted prescribed fires on the 50,000-acre Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Indiana.

They found that prescribed fires in invaded areas were much more intense – with taller flames and much hotter fires – often reaching more than 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Those more intense fires killed tree seedlings and encouraged the spread of stiltgrass.

Armed with this new information, what should forest and land managers do?

To encourage tree seedling regeneration in eastern forests and to slow stiltgrass from spreading, Flory and his team recommend forest managers remove invasions before applying prescribed fires or avoid using prescribed burns in habitats invaded by the non-native grass.

Source: University of Florida

Florida Cattle ID Rule Now in Effect

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:03:06 GMT

The Cattle Identification Rule (Chapter 5C-31, Florida Administrative Code) has been published with an effective date of September 4, 2014. This rule is intended to improve our ability to respond to serious disease outbreaks and to help the industry maintain out-of-state markets. The rule will require cattle 18 months of age or older moving within the state to be tagged with Official Individual Identification. Cattle moving to Approved Tagging Sites for tagging, cattle moving directly to slaughter, and cattle moving between pastures under normal ranching operations, without changing ownership, are exempted under the rule.

Cattle owners can apply Official Identification Tags themselves or have their cattle tagged at an Approved Tagging Site. A variety of Official Identification Tags can be purchased through an animal health product supplier or USDA, National Uniform Eartagging System (NUES) tags can be obtained, at no charge, through the Division of Animal Industry by calling 850-410-0900 or by contacting the local district office. A list of our district offices and Approved Tagging Sites is available at the Florida Cattle Identification Web page on the Division of Animal Industry’s Website .

The Department will provide a 60-day period of continued education and outreach prior to commencing enforcement actions on November 4, 2014. During this 60-day educational period, the Department will offer training sessions at livestock markets and producer meetings, distribute summary information at the Agricultural Interdiction Stations, and provide access to a PowerPoint presentation with audio on our Website. Once enforcement begins in November, eligible cattle moving within the state must be Officially Identified or the cattle will be quarantined until the rule requirements are met. Subsequent violations will result in quarantine and administrative fines.

This rule has been discussed for a number of years in over 60 public meetings with our cattle industry, producers and markets, who are now working to prepare themselves to fully comply with the identification requirements.

Source: University of Florida Extension

Panthers Prey on Ranchers’ Calves

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:01:42 GMT

A two-year panther study at two southwest Florida cattle ranches shows that the endangered cats attack and kill calves, but how often that happens can vary greatly by location and landscape.

Caitlin Jacobs, a University of Florida master’s student in wildlife ecology and conservation, conducted the study, in which radio-transmitter tags were put on the ears of 409 calves at two ranches, both near Immokalee.

The Florida panther nearly died out, with an estimated population thinning to just 20 to 25 panthers by 1995, with conservation efforts helping the cat’s numbers grow to an estimated 100 to 160 by 2012.
But the panthers’ comeback has not always been helpful to cattle ranchers.

One of the ranches Jacobs studied lost 10 calves, or 5 percent of the herd each year, to preying panthers, while the other lost only one, or half a percent of that herd, during the same time span. Both ranches also lost calves to other causes, including eight deaths at one ranch and five at the other not attributed to predators.

Overall, panther attacks caused the most deaths, although panthers weren’t the only predator for calves to contend with. Each ranch also lost at least one ear-tagged calf to a bear attack during the two-year study, while some untagged calves were killed by coyotes and vultures.

The ranches’ physical geography, including open spaces and the proximity of wooded areas in which the cats can hide and stalk, likely have much to do with the different rates, she said. But for the panthers to continue their comeback, they rely greatly on the mixed landscape found on ranches, which includes forests, wetlands, prairies and pastures.

Jacobs said she hopes her research helps lead to fruitful policy discussion between state conservation officials and ranchers, perhaps to programs that might pay ranchers to maintain key panther habitat, rather than as compensation for difficult-to-track individual calf losses.

“The ranching landscape is important for panthers. Land that’s used for housing or row crops or citrus groves doesn’t help them the same way; they need those natural areas,” she said.

The research was often gory, with Jacobs, multi-county UF/IFAS livestock Extension agent Lindsey Wiggins and the ranchers themselves evaluating scenes and playing sleuth to determine which predator was to blame: panthers, coyotes, bears or even vultures.
A bite wound to the front or back of the calf’s neck was most often the mark of a panther attack, she said, and the cats almost always dragged their prey to a hiding spot nearby to revisit later. Coyote and bear attacks were much more damaging, with the calf’s body badly bruised or found to have many external wounds.

Jacobs presented her research two weeks ago at the North America Congress for Conservation Biology in Missoula, Mont. Marty Main, associate dean for extension for UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, supervised her research. They expect the study to be published later this year.

The study was funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Defenders of Wildlife and supported by JB Ranch and Immokalee Ranch, where Jacobs did her research.

Source: University of Florida