Farm and Dairy’s week in review: 3/21

Here are this week’s top stories from Farm and Dairy:

1. How to grow, harvest and preserve herbs for tea

Instead of purchasing herbal tea at the grocery, why not grow your own herbs and use them for homemade tea? Once herbs are harvested, dried and preserved, they can be used for tea blends.

Herbs can be planted in containers or alongside fruits and vegetables. Herbs can be beneficial to other plants, and they can even ward off pests.

2. Proposed rules set for drone use; comment until April 24

The Federal Aviation Administration is accepting public comments until April 24 for the use of small unmanned aerial systems in agriculture. Farmers have some concerns about proposed FAA drone regulation.

The proposed regulations published by the FAA include a required certification process and exam, aircraft registration, maintenance and limitations on use.

3. Tech meets the garden: 4 products for your growing season

Gardening doesn’t just have to be trowels and watering cans anymore. Innovative thinkers have developed countless garden technology tools, ranging from cell phone apps to plant sensors.

These tools may come in handy for tech-savvy gardeners who want to provide optimal conditions for their plants and also save time and money on materials and water.

4. Some still skeptical of beef checkoff changes

Although seven members of the Beef Checkoff Enhancement Working Group have signed a memorandum of understanding, some stakeholders don’t approve of the proposed changes to the checkoff.

The United States Cattlemen’s Association and the National Farmers Union have both opposed the suggested enhancements to the national beef checkoff.

5. No clear-cut answer: Forestry groups say checkoff battle is not over

For several years, the idea of a hardwood checkoff in Ohio has been floating around. Some members of the Ohio Forestry Association question the need for the checkoff, while others are concerned about the number of exemptions.

The Hardwood Checkoff Committee is comprised of representatives from 15 lumber and forest product companies. Efforts to create a national hardwood checkoff have been opposed by the Virginia Forest Producers Association as well as the Missouri Forest Products Association.