Links To Related Web Sites (With Descriptions)
Find out the current weather conditions, forecasts and climate trends from sources such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the University of Florida.
The American Culinary Federation (ACF), Inc., a professional, not-for-profit organization for chefs and cooks, was founded in 1929 in New York City by three chefs’ organizations: the Société Culinaire Philanthropique, the Vatel Club, and the Chefs Association of America. The principal goal is to promote the professional image of American chefs worldwide through education among culinarians at all levels, from apprentices to the most accomplished certified master chefs. ACF sanctions domestic culinary competitions and oversees any international competitions that take place in the United States.
While not a threat to healthy individuals, consumption of raw or undercooked oysters by
at-risk individuals may cause serious illness or even death from the bacteria Vibrio vulnificus.
This website is dedicated to educating the oyster-consuming public. It provides a thorough background
on Vibrio vulnificus and the health conditions that place an individual in the at-risk category, as
well as present tasty oyster products safe for all consumers to enjoy, including at-risk consumers.
The creation of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in April 1997 brought together
inspection and related services previously provided through the activities of four federal
government departments Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada,
Health Canada and Industry Canada. The establishment of CFIA consolidated the delivery of all
federal food, animal and plant health inspection programs. The Minister of Health is responsible
for establishing policies and standards for the safety and nutritional quality of food sold in
Canada; the administration of those provisions of the Food and Drugs Act that relate to public
health, safety and nutrition; and for assessing the effectiveness of the agency's activities related
to food safety. CFIA delivers 14 inspection programs related to foods, plants and animals in 18
regions across Canada. Its role is to enforce the food safety and nutritional quality standards
established by Health Canada and, for animal health and plant protection, to set standards and
carry out enforcement and inspection.
EUROFISH is an independent international organization which became operational in 2002,
succeeding the FAO EASTFISH project established in 1996. The mandate of EUROFISH is to
assist the development of fisheries in Central and Eastern Europe focusing on trade and
marketing, processing, and aquaculture. The objectives of EUROFISH are to: provide market and
trade information; promote high quality, value-added fishery products; produce relevant and
timely publications; develop training programs and capacity-building projects with governments
and sponsors. EUROFISH has eight member countries: Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark,
Latvia, Norway, Romania, Turkey. In addition, Estonia, Hungary and Italy have signed the
Eurofish agreement but not ratified it.
The FDACS Division of Marketing and Development stimulates, encourages and fosters the
production and consumption of agricultural products in addition to conducting activities that
enhances cooperation among producers, buyers, retailers, food editors and the consuming public
in the promotion and marketing of Florida agriculture. The division is responsible for
establishing and maintaining programs which will aid in the orderly marketing of agricultural
products and providing efficient distribution of Florida's agricultural products. The division
administers the Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign (FAPC), also known as the "Fresh
from Florida" program. The division is composed of: Director's Office; Bureau of Development
and Information; Bureau of License and Bond; Bureau of Food Distribution; Bureau of State
Farmers' Markets; Bureau of Seafood and Aquaculture Marketing; Bureau of Education and
Communication; and the Florida Agricultural Statistics Service.
This division administers various state and federal regulatory programs concerning environmental and consumer protection issues. These include state mosquito control program coordination; agricultural pesticide registration, testing and regulation; pest control regulation; and feed, seed and fertilizer production inspection and testing. Through its four bureaus, the division ensures that: pesticides are properly registered and used in accordance with federal and state requirements; mosquito control programs are effectively conducted; and feed, seed and fertilizer products are safe and effective.
This division: regulates aquaculture facilities and shellfish processing plants; opens and closes shellfish harvesting waters to protect human health; ensures the continued productivity of oyster reefs through a mitigation/restoration program; issues leases of submerged state lands for aquaculture; assists industry development by working on special projects and providing a forum for industry-requested research projects; works with the Aquaculture Review Council, a farmer advisory committee that provides guidance and input on the annual development of the Florida Aquaculture Plan; ensures compliance with Best Management Practices (BMPs), which are formulated to achieve Florida's environmental goals; administers programs to promote industry growth through production and technical support, product promotion and advertising, and financial assistance.
This division is responsible for assuring the public of a safe, wholesome and properly represented food supply through permitting and inspection of food establishments, inspection of food products, and performance of specialized laboratory analyses on a variety of food products sold or produced in the state. The division monitors food from farm gate through processing and distribution to the retail point of purchase. The division is charged with administration and enforcement of the food and poultry and egg laws, and also provides support in the enforcement of other food safety laws. In addition to regulatory surveillance and enforcement, the division evaluates consumer complaints related to food. The division has two bureaus: the Bureau of Food and Meat Inspection and the Bureau of Food and Residue Laboratories.
The Division of Marketing and Development stimulates, encourages and fosters the production and consumption of agricultural products in addition to conducting activities that enhance cooperation among producers, buyers, retailers, food editors and the consuming public in the promotion and marketing of Florida agriculture. The division is responsible for establishing and maintaining programs which will aid in the orderly marketing of agricultural products and providing efficient distribution of Florida's agricultural products. The division's goal is to extend in every practical way the distribution and sale of Florida agricultural products and services throughout the markets of the world. Activities are aimed at generating valuable export sales through market research and trade activities.
The FDACS Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement operates 22 agricultural interdiction stations located on all paved highways crossing the natural boundary of the Suwannee and St. Mary’s rivers. Agricultural vehicle inspections are conducted at each location around the clock, 365 days a year. These officers support and supplement all of the Department’s regulatory and law enforcement programs by conducting inspections of highway shipments of agricultural, horticultural, aquacultural and livestock commodities. These regulations and programs ensure compliance with Federal-State Marketing Agreements as well as laws, rules and regulations enacted to make certain the public receives quality food products. Programs are also designed to prevent, control and eradicate specific plant and animal pests and diseases that could economically devastate segments of Florida’s agricultural industry.
This office was established in 1995 by the Florida Legislature to facilitate and improve communications between federal, state, local agencies, and the agricultural industry on water quantity and water quality issues involving agriculture. The office is involved in the development of Best Management Practices (BMPs) on a site-specific, regional, and watershed basis. It works cooperatively with agricultural producers and industry groups, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the university system, the water management district, and other interested parties to develop and implement BMPs programs that are economically and technically feasible. The office’s primary mission is to formulate and establish water policies that will provide assurances that agriculture will have access to sufficient water supplies in the future.
The Florida Agricultural Statistics Service (FASS) is the main agricultural data gathering agency in Florida with the purpose of collecting, compiling and providing current statistics. This service is provided in cooperation with the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS). A primary goal of FASS is to provide farmers, ranchers and other producers of agricultural commodities with unbiased and reliable information to assist them in making production and marketing decisions. Other important users of agricultural statistics are farm organizations, agribusiness and transportation firms, state and national policy makers, and foreign buyers of agricultural products. Farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses provide the data which are collected through a broad program of sample surveys throughout the year.
The mission of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is to safeguard the public and support Florida's agricultural economy by: Ensuring the safety and wholesomeness of food and other consumer products through inspection and testing programs; protecting consumers from unfair and deceptive business practices and providing consumer information; assisting Florida's farmers and agricultural industries with the production and promotion of agricultural products; and conserving and protecting the state's agricultural and natural resources by reducing wildfires, promoting environmentally safe agricultural practices, and managing public lands.
Effective July 1, 1999, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) was created to combine the functions of the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission (GFC) and the Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC).
The mission of the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association (FKCFA), aka Monroe County Commercial Fishermen Inc., is to: organize the Florida Keys fishermen into an effective lobby to protect and promote the fishing industry; encourage laws that protect the fishing industry of South Florida while improving its sustainability; advance the science of fishing through cooperative research; partner with all other community associations working toward sustaining the fishing community; and work with the county, state and federal agencies to minimize the negative impact of regulations on fishermen while improving the conservation of marine resources.
The Florida Restaurant Association and its educational foundation promote dining out, encourage restaurant careers, publicize the industry's commitment to food safety, and highlight the restaurant industry's impact on the economy and local communities.
The Florida Tropical Fish Farms Association is a trade Association of professional ornamental tropical fish and aquatic plant breeders. The purpose of the association is to represent its members in governmental matters, provide a co-op situation for buying power of necessary materials to produce there products, and support research and development for the production of ornamental species.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and debate policy. FAO is also a source of knowledge and information. We help developing countries and countries in transition modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices and ensure good nutrition for all. Since its founding in 1945, FAO has focused special attention on developing rural areas, home to 70 percent of the world's poor and hungry people. FAO's activities comprise four main areas: putting information within reach; sharing policy expertise; providing a meeting place for nations; and bringing knowledge to the field.
The Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC) at the National Agricultural Library (NAL) has been a leader in food and human nutrition information dissemination since 1971. FNIC's web site provides a directory to credible, accurate, and practical resources for consumers, nutrition and health professionals, educators and government personnel. Visitors can find printable format educational materials, government reports, research papers and more.
Food Processors of Canada (FPC) is a business association serving food industry executives on
matters concerning trade, commerce and manufacturing. The members of FPC own or manage
food processing companies in Canada. They add value to inputs sourced from around the world
and service markets in 80 countries. Located in Ottawa, the association works to provide
members with guidance on business issues, such as: trade (border security, labeling, trade
negotiations, domestic and international regulations); commerce (crisis management, Revenue
Canada interpretations, illegal imports, duty remissions, benchmarking); manufacturing (plant
inspection practices, GMP's, Inspector Dispute resolution, product recalls, regulatory updates).
FoodSafety.gov is a gateway web site that provides links to selected government food safety-related information. This web site is part of the National Food Safety Information Network. It is maintained by FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
The Gulf and South Atlantic Fisheries Foundation, Inc., is a private, non-profit research and
development organization serving the commercial fishery industry since 1976. Its purpose is to
enhance the long-term viability and productivity of the southeastern U.S. commercial fishery
industry through the wise use of marine resources and application of environmentally sound
business practices. Foundation membership includes commercial fishermen, seafood processors,
and other businesses or individuals closely associated with the industry. Its mission is to
improve the economic well-being and quality of life for all stakeholders in the fisheries of the
Gulf and South Atlantic United States utilizing fundamental principles of sustainability and
conservation.
The web site for the University of Florida Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants, which was begun in 1978 and has been on the web since 1995. The site also houses the Aquatic, Wetland and Invasive Plant Information Retrieval System (APIRS), the world's largest information resource of its kind. Non-native aquatic invasive plants also can jam turbines and dams; fill up canals and ditches; cover fish-spawning, bird-nesting areas and turtle-laying areas; and interfere with and even prevent fishing, swimming, and boating, even including large commercial boats. Non-native plant infestations even reduce property values. In addition, stands of non-native plants usually are not useful to the nation's wildlife. Native wildlife has evolved to be dependent on native plants for food and shelter. Only sometimes are native animals able to adapt to newly introduced, non-native plants. Should non-native plants replace too many of our native plants, those animals that are dependent on native plants will move away or even perish (become extirpated).
UF/IFAS is a statewide organization dedicated to teaching, research, and extension and serves the agricultural, human, and natural resources needs for the state of Florida.
Florida Cooperative Extension is a partnership between the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Florida's county governments. Its mission is to provide scientific knowledge and expertise to the public.
The Soil and Water Science Department (SWSD) provides leadership in teaching, research, and extension/outreach programs as related to improving the productivity of agriculture with environmentally sound management practices, improving water quality, and protection and conservation of natural resources. The department offers comprehensive research and educational programs (molecular to landscape level) involving terrestrial, wetlands and aquatic ecosystems of the landscape. Focus areas: management of nutrients, pesticides, and wastes; remediation of contaminated soils, waters, and aquifers; soil quality and ecological indicators; soil-landscape analysis; wetlands and aquatic systems.
Invasivespecies.gov is the gateway to federal efforts concerning invasive
species. On this site you can learn about the impacts of invasive species
and the federal government's response, as well as read select species
profiles and find links to agencies and organizations dealing with invasive
species issues. Invasivespecies.gov is also the web site for the National
Invasive Species Council, which coordinates federal responses to the problem.
An "invasive" species is defined as a species that is: non-native (or alien)
to the ecosystem under consideration; and whose introduction causes or is
likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. Invasive
species can be plants, animals, and other organisms (e.g., microbes). Human
actions are the primary means of invasive species introductions.
Invasivespecies.gov is the gateway to federal efforts concerning invasive
species. On this site you can learn about the impacts of invasive species
and the federal government's response, as well as read select species
profiles and find links to agencies and organizations dealing with invasive
species issues. Invasivespecies.gov is also the web site for the National
Invasive Species Council, which coordinates federal responses to the problem.
An "invasive" species is defined as a species that is: non-native (or alien)
to the ecosystem under consideration; and whose introduction causes or is
likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. Invasive
species can be plants, animals, and other organisms (e.g., microbes). Human
actions are the primary means of invasive species introductions.
The National Fisheries Institute is a trade association for the fish and seafood industry, and
represents a wide spectrum of firms, from small family-owned businesses to large multinational
corporations. Regular members are U.S. firms that operate fishing vessels and aquaculture
facilities; which buy and sell, process, pack, import, export and distribute fish and seafood; and
which operate retail stores and restaurants. Associate members sell goods or services to fish and
seafood firms. International members are firms domiciled outside the United States that import
or export fish and seafood to or from the United States. NFI helps members address technical,
scientific, marketing and regulatory issues. NFI has endorsed an ethical Standards of Conduct
and encourages its members to adopt these standards. NFI also has endorsed the Principles for
Responsible Fisheries and encourages its members to adopt and implement these principles.
As a steward, NOAA Fisheries has an obligation to conserve, protect, and manage living marine
resources in a way that ensures their continuation as functioning components of marine
ecosystems, affords economic opportunities, and enhances the quality of life for the American
public. NOAA Fisheries is responsible for the management, conservation and protection of living
marine resources within the United States Exclusive Economic Zone. NOAA Fisheries also plays
a supportive and advisory role in the management of living marine resources in coastal areas
under state jurisdiction, provides scientific and policy leadership in the international arena and
implements international conservation and management measures as appropriate.
Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is a business association for the restaurant industry. Together with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the association's mission is to represent, educate and promote a rapidly growing industry that is comprised of 900,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets employing 12.2 million people. The National Restaurant Association's 60,000 member companies represent more than 300,000 restaurant establishments.
The National Sea Grant Library, NSGL, (formerly known as the National Sea Grant Depository)
was established in 1970 as an archive and lending library for Sea Grant funded documents. These
documents cover a wide variety of subjects, including oceanography, marine education,
aquaculture, fisheries, limnology, coastal zone management, marine recreation and law.
Today, NSGL staff lends documents all over the world to aid scientists, teachers, students,
fishermen and many other individuals in their research and studies. NSGL houses the only
complete collection (including 30,000 titles and a total of 90,000 documents) of Sea Grant
funded work NSGL also maintains a 36,000 record bibliographic database that is searchable
from this web site.
The Northwest Florida Water Management District stretches from the St. Marks River Basin in Jefferson County to the Perdido River in Escambia County. The District is one of five water management districts in Florida created by the Water Resources Act of 1972. Sixteen counties lie within the Northwest Florida Water Management District. They include Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Leon, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Wakulla, Walton and Washington counties, and a portion of Jefferson County.
SeaFood Business is the monthly trade magazine of the U.S. seafood industry, serving buyers from the foodservice, retail, processing and distribution sectors.
The mission of the South Florida Water Management District is to manage and protect water resources of the region by balancing and improving water quality, flood control, natural systems, and water supply. The district is working to restore and manage ecosystems and protect water quality -- from central Florida's Kissimmee River to Lake Okeechobee, and from coast to coast, spanning the peninsula from Fort Myers to Fort Pierce, south through the sprawling Everglades to Florida Bay.
The overall mission of Southeastern Fisheries Association (SFA) is to defend, preserve and
enhance the commercial fishing industry in the southeastern United States for present
participants as well as future generations through all legal means while maintaining healthy
stocks of fish. SFA represents its members before local, state, regional, national and international
bodies. SFA is a 501 c (6) non-profit fisheries trade association founded by a core group of fish
dealers in 1952. SFA is composed of companies and individual fishermen and workers employed
within or supportive of the seafood and aquaculture industry at the local, state, national and
international level. Several hundred company and boat members are involved in various aspects
of seafood harvesting, processing, freezing, storage, distribution and wholesale and retail sales.
SFA headquarters are located in Tallahassee, Florida.
The Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA) is a non-profit alliance of members of the shrimp industry
in eight states committed to preventing the continued deterioration of America's domestic shrimp
industry and to ensuring the industry's future viability. SSA serves as the national voice for the
shrimp fishermen and processors in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North
Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. The association is developing marketing plans for domestic
shrimp, lobbying for more stringent controls and testing of banned chemicals, supporting
anti-dumping findings against six countries, and working with NMFS on regulations concerning
the domestic shrimp industry.
The Southern United States Trade Association (SUSTA) is a nonprofit agricultural export trade development association of the southern state Departments of Agriculture and the high-value food and agricultural exporters of the southern United States. SUSTA provides international marketing services for area exporters and foreign importers.
The mission of the Southwest Florida Water Management District is to manage the water and water-related resources within its boundaries. Central to the mission is maintaining the balance between the water needs of current and future users while protecting and maintaining the natural systems that provide the District with its existing and future water supply.
The St. Johns River Water Management District is responsible for managing ground and surface water supplies in all or part of 18 counties in northeast and east-central Florida. The district has offices in Palatka, Jacksonville, Altamonte Springs, and Palm Bay. Duties include issuing permits for various water use activities and/or activities that have the potential to adversely impact ground or surface water resources and adjacent lands; buying land to preserve or restore vital wetlands and water resources; conducting research about the quality and quantity of ground and surface water resources; mapping ground and surface water resources.
The Suwannee River Water Management District is one of five regional water management districts in Florida. It was created by the Florida Legislature through passage of the Water Resources Act of 1972. Its four main areas of responsibility are water supply, flood protection, water quality management, and natural systems management. The district manages water and related natural resources in north-central Florida by providing water quality and quantity monitoring, research, regulation, land acquisition and management, and flood protection.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's mission is to enhance the quality of life for the American people by supporting the production of agriculture.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health agency in the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for ensuring that the nation's commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged.
This service is to educate agricultural producers and processors across the country about the potential benefits of exporting, and help them developing foreign markets.
As the Nation's primary source for agricultural information, the National Agricultural Library (NAL) has a mission to increase the availability and utilization of agricultural information for researchers, educators, policymakers, consumers of agricultural products, and the public. The library is one of the world's largest and most accessible agricultural research libraries and plays a vital role in supporting research, education, and applied agriculture. NAL was created as the departmental library for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1862 and became a national library in 1962. It is also the coordinator for a national network of state land-grant and USDA field libraries. NAL's has a collection of over 3.3 million items.
American agriculture is continually counted, measured, priced, analyzed, and reported to provide the facts needed by people working throughout this vast industry. Each year, the employees of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conduct hundreds of surveys and prepare reports covering virtually every facet of U.S. agriculture -- production and supplies of food and fiber, prices paid and received by farmers, farm labor and wages, farm aspects of the industry. In addition, NASS's 45 State Statistical Offices (SSO's) publish data about many of the same topics for local audiences. The NASS mission is to provide timely, accurate, and useful statistics in service to U. S. agriculture.
Working in partnership with state governments, tribal governments and other federal agencies, EPA ensures compliance with the nation’s environmental laws. EPA seeks to maximize compliance and reduce threats to public health and the environment by employing an integrated approach of compliance assistance, compliance incentives and innovative civil and criminal enforcement.
