Hemp has been grown in South Carolina since authorized by state law in 2017 with currently over 100 permitted growers in the state; S.C. farmers have only just started learning about and growing hemp. This crop has many potential benefits for our state’s farmers but comes with equally high risk and many unknowns as the...
You may be reading this blog entry from your desk workstation, or perhaps a laptop in a coffee shop. You might even be perusing this on your smartphone. It’s a common, everyday occurrence that can easily be taken for granted. Unfortunately, in many parts of rural South Carolina – it’s not only a luxury to have...
Have you ever read about a diet for weight loss, jumped in head first, only to be disappointed by the results? You’re not alone. With a promise of “treating” you to quick results it’s no surprise that these diets have gained popularity! In most cases, trendy diets work initially, but are not sustainable long term due...
Greetings South Carolina Farm Bureau family,
I hope everyone has had a restful summer and has taken time to enjoy the beauty of the Palmetto State. As summer comes to an end, we anticipate the arrival of the harvest. Harvest means long hours in the field doing what we love the most.
We also anticipate setting our...
Down. Set. Hike!
There are many reasons to love fall, but in South Carolina I think many agree that the highlight of the season is college football. Is there anything better than cheering on your team on a crisp fall afternoon? No matter what colors you wear on Saturdays, we can all join together to show our...
Last year, lawmakers passed a bill to help landowners and hunters manage a growing deer population in South Carolina. Farmers have been reporting increased levels of depredation of crops by deer, and these changes allow for increased harvest opportunities.
For the 2019 deer hunting season, the eight date specific...
We have become all too familiar with the recent widespread natural disasters. Farmers, in particular, would really like to forget. Believe me.
Since 2015, South Carolina farmers have started from ground zero over and over with each new plant and harvest season. From Matthew and Irma, to Florence and Michael, the...
Many of you know that my wife Bonnie has been in the hospital for several weeks recovering from emergency surgery related to her cancer, and I’ve been spending a lot more time in Georgia than in Washington lately. Bonnie is doing much better. There’s still a long road ahead, but Bonnie is getting stronger every day. We...
Sustainability is a word we hear a lot today. For a cattle rancher it has a lot of meanings. Just like any business, our ranch must be financially stable. We must make enough to support our families and then hope to have a little left over to reinvest in our business. In agriculture, financial sustainability and...
As farmers, we want to do good for our land and animals, our families and communities, and our country. We take pride in knowing that the work we do on our farms and ranches reaches far beyond our fence rows.
With farmers and ranchers making up only 2 percent of the population in our country today, agriculture can get...