Alabama AgCast

We speak with Communications Manager, Mary Wilson, of the Alabama Extension System on the second annual Alabama Extension Week. This year, the event will be held April 12-18. There will be in-person events as well as online webinars. Visit the ACES website to get more information. Below is a list of the webinars for the week. If you are interested, please register at THIS WEBSITE. ○ Monday ■ 2 p.m. - Your First Steps Into the Market is super timely to help farmers think about their farmers market spaces and setups. ■ 6 p.m. - Pollinator Power in Alabama will be a fun one where folks can learn about the Great Southeast Pollinator Census. If you like bees, and want to help out our pollinators, you definitely want to register for this one. ○ Tuesday ■ 12 p.m. - is for all the aspiring entrepreneurs. It’s Small Business Cafe — Idea to Impact. ■ 2 p.m. - we’re talking mental health in agriculture. And that’s a BIG topic right now with the row crop economy like it is… high input costs and low prices make farming even tougher than usual. ■ 5:30 p.m. - any sheep or goat farmers will want to join in to learn about postpartum nutrition and lactation management in small ruminants ■ 6 p.m. - we round it out with another hot topic - invasive plants. You can learn more about Extension declaring this the Year of Invasive Plants and how you can help work to reduce the populations of those plants. ■ 6:30 p.m. - for any farmers facing financial hardships, this webinar provides a place to discuss challenges and learn about resources that can help. ○ Wednesday… this one is a FULL day ■ 10 a.m. - houseplants for homeowners… people are gonna LOVE that one ■ 12 p.m. - a really intriguing and different webinar — it’s exploring the science of forestry, geology and pottery ■ 2 p.m. - we have a group of Extension agents who will be hosting the Women in Ag webinar, which will be really exciting. ■ 6 p.m. - we’re talking about landscape trees and things you can plant aside from crape myrtles… because diversity in what we plant is a good thing! ○ Thursday ■ If you’re a forest landowner, you’ll want to join in for the 2 p.m. webinar about forest health in Alabama… the current challenges and management strategies. ■ At 6 p.m. - we’re talking about the Grow More, Give More program and the 250 Pound Challenge… which is all about growing extra fruits and vegetables to help people in your communities ○ Friday ■ We round it all out with a final webinar at 2 p.m. that’s all about caregiving for loved ones suffering from memory loss. This one fits within Human Sciences Extension, and we know there’s a lot of people out there who can benefit from this kind of information.

Eggcellent Food Safety: Keeping Easter Fresh and Fun With the arrival of spring and warmer weather, many people start to think about the upcoming lineup of holidays, including Easter. Some people join friends or family for a big meal and hiding eggs, while others enjoy going out to eat for their celebrations. No matter the plan, make sure that all Easter foods follow the proper safety guidelines. Cooking at Home When cooking an Easter meal at home, the following are important things to remember: Keep it clean.Keep cold foodskeep hot foodsCheck temperatures with a food thermometer.Make sure hot foods are fully cookedThere’s No Place Like Home for Food Safetylimit the timeDo not keep them for leftovers.For more information about keeping it safe at home, see the Extension Brief, Host Guests, Not Bacteria: Simple Food Safety Tips For Entertaining at aces.edu. Easter Eggs It is fun to decorate and hide Easter eggs, but there are a few safety tips to keep in mind. inspect Storewash your handsConsider avoidDiscardANR-2642, Enhancing Egg Quality & Safety in Small FlocksOut to Eat In the restaurant, you should see one or more food safety training certificates on display as you enter the establishment. The Alabama Extension Food Safety and Quality team teaches one of these certifications, ServSafe for Managers. That certificate is usually white and blue. The ServSafe training is a comprehensive class where participants are taught and tested on microbiological, chemical, and physical contamination. To learn more about the scoring system, or to see what your favorite restaurant’s score is, visit www.alabamapublichealth.gov/foodscores/system.html.

Hello and welcome to the Alabama AgCast News for April 1, 2026. The AgCast is produced by the Alabama Farmers Federation and sponsored by Alabama Ag Credit. On today’s AgCast, we will get the latest national and state news, check in with Morgan Desselle as the legislative session begins to wind down, hear the Commodity Column from Marlee Jackson, and go IN THE MARKETS with Chris Prevatt.

On today’s AgCast, we will find out the latest from our nation’s capital, we recap the Jr. Livestock Expo, we’ll explore what’s going on at the State House in Montgomery, Jacob Davis will bring us the Field Staff Report, and Chris Prevatt will take us…In the Markets.

Chandler Gruener is embarking on a multi-year study to determine soil sulfur recommendations for producers in Alabama. He just received a grant from the Soybean Checkoff Committee and will be reporting on his findings in the coming years. Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

We sit down with Director of Governmental and Agriculture Programs, Mitt Walker, on The Farm Bill and other movement in Congress. Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

On today’s AgCast we see why young farm families gathered at the beach, check in with Maggie Edwards and the Commodity Column, hear the Legislative Report from Morgan Desselle, get the boots-on-the-ground Field Report with Guy Hall, and follow Chris Prevatt as we go In The Markets. Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

Today’s AgCast Feature will be a conversation with Auburn University’s Variety Testing Manager, Henry Jordan. Henry recently applied for and received a grant from the Alabama Soybean Check-off program. Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

On today’s AgCast we learn about USDA’s One Farmer, One File initiative, we report on the FFA Day on the Hill, we’ll get Morgan Desselle’s Legislative Report, hear a Field Report from Mac Higginbotham, and find out how Operation Epic Fury has affected the markets with Chris Prevatt. Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

We visit with Jerry Carl, former congressman and FarmPAC-endorsed candidate for Alabama District 1. Find out more about Cong. Carl at his website here.

On today’s AgCast, the USDA continues working with the Department of War to maintain and increase farmland security as a part of national security, The long-awaited Farm Bill language is released, EPA rescinds greenhouse gas endangerment findings, we speak with Jake Harper following a joint resolution honoring his time in leadership with Alfa, and ag leaders from around Alabama gather for the annual Alabama Agriculture Hall of Honor. We’ll also have a Legislative Report, Commodity Column and Market Report, so stay tuned! Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

We sit down with Matt Gentry, who is the FarmPAC-endorsed candidate. Matt is a veteran and retired sheriff of Cullman County. Visit Matt's website here.

On today’s episode, Mitt Walker will give us an update on our activities in Washington DC last week; Extension Specialist Scott Graham has some advice for farmers looking to plant cotton this year; we’ll hear from the award winners at the recent Alabama Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association conference; Morgan Desselle will keep us updated on all the bills we are following at the Alabama legislature; Maggie Edwards highlights commodity updates; David Heflin will bring us the Field Staff Report, and we go In The Markets with Chris Prevatt. Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

Maggie Edwards shares a few moments with Katherine Robertson. Katherine is the FarmPAC-endorsed candidate for Alabama Attorney General. Here's more about Katherine. Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

Corey Hill is running for Commissioner of Agriculture and Maggie Edwards sat down with him to get to know the Marshall County farmer, entrepreneur and mayor of Douglas, Ala. Find out more about Corey here. Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

On today’s AgCast Check out additional ways to prepare for cold weather here.In The MarketsSign up for the Capitol Connection here.Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

Maggie Edwards sits down with Alabama Attorney General, Steve Marshall. Steve is the FarmPAC endorsed candidate running the U.S. Senate for Alabama. Find out how you can support Wes on his campaign website. Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

Nationally, we’ll look at a new law aimed at helping dairy farmers grow their market to schools. Statewide, we recognize farmers and ag leaders appointed to the state FSA Committee, and hear from the winner of the Alabama Nursery and Landscape Association’s Horizon Award. Federation news features the Taste of Alabama annual event and a major donation to Children’s of Alabama. Finally, we’ll hear report of crops with the Commodity Column, find out how ag is doing at the Alabama Legislature, and check the markets for any movement. From the Commodity Column: Register by Feb. 1.Learn more.Register and view agenda.Emmett & ViAnn Thompson Lecture in Forest Economics and PolicyLearn more.

Jeff Helms, communications director, visits with FarmPAC-endorsed candidate Wes Allen. Wes is currently Alabama'a Secretary of State but is seeking the office of Lt. Governor in the 2026 election. Find out how you can support Wes on his campaign website. Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

On today’s AgCast News, we will visit with Alabama Farmers Federation members and staff who recently returned from the American Farm Bureau annual convention in Anaheim, California. As a part of our coverage, we will get Drew Wendland’s reaction to winning the national Young Farmers and Ranchers Achievement Award, along with his wife Lauren. We will also check in with Morgan Desselle, of our External Affairs team, on what’s going on at the Alabama Legislature. Plus, we are excited to start a new segment of the AgCast. Chris Prevatt, our in-house economist, will report on the commodity markets and what to look out for in the future. Sign up for Capitol Connection here. Get the latest on the markets here. Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.