Latest news with #RickPate
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Alabama Farmers try to salvage crops after recent rain
TUSCALOOSA, Ala (WIAT) – Farmers are trying to salvage their crops following days of rain. Alice Parker and her husband started Parker Farm and Produce in Northport in 1985. In the property's produce check-out space, a newspaper article from 2013 hangs on the wall, declaring the Parkers as Farmer of the Year for their wide array of fruits, vegetables and spices. If you visit Parker Farms off Boone Road, you'll find zucchini, garlic, potatoes, beans, apples, grapes, muscadines, basil and more. 'We couldn't grow all of this stuff if we didn't sell,' Parker said. Because a farmer's livelihood relies on how much they sell, which is also tied to how much they grow, rain is a concern right now. 'We want them to be profitable, because there's no substantiality without probability,' Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate said. Tree removal expert advises removing dangerous trees before severe weather hits Alabama 'They can't take so many financial hits and continue to grow,' Pate added. Parker is just one of many farmers across the state who have suffered losses due to recent rainfall. 'It has washed out, and we had to replant,' Parker said. Replanting this produce is a much more tedious process than just putting a seed into the ground, especially when farmers have multiple fields to re-seed. 'Your seed cost is about $100 per acre. Then, of course, you get so much rain, then you'll lose some of your fertility, and then erosion,' Wayne Gilliam said. Gilliam comes from a family of farmers. Now, he helps other farmers in his position as Tuscaloosa County Farmers Co-op's general manager. 'We had lots of rain in 1976, but this is the worst rain since then,' Gilliam said. The Parkers' farm sits on a hill, which helped the water run-off a little, but other farms in the area are flooded. 'We've got farmers posting some pictures of just whole fields under water,' Pate said. 'I think you're going to see smaller supplies at our farmers market.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Alabama Agriculture and Industries Commissioner running for Lt. Governor
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WHNT) — Alabamians will be seeing a few familiar names under Lieutenant Governor on the ballot in 2026. Agriculture and Industries Commissioner Rick Pate confirmed he would be running for Lieutenant Governor at an event in Montgomery on Tuesday. ⭐ News 19 is Your Local Election Headquarters! Click here for more election coverage ⭐ Pate said he wants to reduce government regulations and cut taxes. He also said that he wants to work with the legislature to do meaningful work for the state of Alabama. 'I'm such good friends with so many of the senators,' Pate said. 'I've talked to Garlan this morning, Steve Livingston, different ones. I just think I could do some good there, working with them for the next few years.' Current Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth announced on May 21 that he will not be running for Governor or Lt. Governor in 2026 and will be taking time away to focus on his family and will be transitioning into the private sector. 'Serving as Alabama's Lieutenant Governor has been the honor of my lifetime, and in the year-and-a-half remaining in my term, I will continue working night and day to meet the needs, improve the lives, and protect the conservative values of the Alabama citizens I took an oath to serve,' Ainsworth said in his announcement. Other candidates who have also announced their intention to run for Lieutenant Governor include Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen and Huntsville native Nicole Wadsworth. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
