Welcome to Adobe GoLive 5

(ORLANDO, FLA.) - Florida Farm Bureau's prestigious Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award was presented to Jim Fogarty of High Springs, an accomplished agricultural leader, and Charles Partin of Kissimmee, whose family is one of Florida's best-known and best-respected pioneer ranch families. The awards were presented during the 2001 Florida Farm Bureau Federation's 60th Annual Convention Oct. 26-29 at the Orlando Airport Marriott.

In 1945, Jim Fogarty began his farming career in Jacksonville raising hogs. Upon relocating to Tallahassee, he ran a cow/calf operation in Leon and Jefferson counties. He also raised corn, rye, oats and millet. In 1954, he was awarded the Chartered Life Underwriters degree from American College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. In 1960, at the request of State Insurance Commissioner Ed Larson, Fogarty wrote a set of questions and answers that the Department of Insurance could use to test insurance agents for licensing. He continued to write the study manual for prospective agents until his retirement in 1975. The actual agent's test used today comes from this manual.

In 1990, Fogarty was appointed by the governor to represent Florida Agriculture on the EPA Gulf of Mexico program. He has been re-appointed to that position by Governors Chiles and Bush.

Fogarty served 18 years as State Director of Florida Cattlemen's Association. He served 14 years as State Director of Florida Farm Bureau and Affiliated Insurance Companies, and for 30 years he was a director of Leon County Farm Bureau, and is also Past President. He served 18 years as a member of Leon County Cattlemen's Association, and is a Past President. He served on the board and was president of the North Florida Fair Association, one of three large, regional fairs held each year in Florida. Fogarty loves his church, Farm Bureau and, above all, his many, many friends that he has made throughout the years.

Charles Partin has been influential in the citrus and cattle industries. He has been involved with the Silver Spurs Rodeo in Kissimmee since 1946, where he was Big Boss of Silver Spurs from 1959 to 1960. In 1998, he was named Coca Cola Cowboy - a lifetime achievement award. He has served on the Kissimmee Valley Livestock Show Board of Directors and building committee since 1956. Partin filed petitions to start the Osceola County Soil and Water Conservation Service in 1967 and subsequently served on the board for 34 years. He served on his local Farmers Home Administration committee and was a state director for four years. He is a past member of the Osceola County Cattlemen's Association.

Partin is also a long-time leader in Florida's citrus industry. He has served on the Florida Citrus Mutual board of directors since 1955, was secretary for 20 years and vice president for four, making him the longest serving member of that board. He served on Mutual's Citrus Committee and the State Test House Advisory Council, the council that sets the standards for Florida orange juice that has made it so popular. He also served on the Florida Citrus Commission. Partin was honored as a Kentucky Colonel in 1984 as a result of outstanding media interviews he gave during the 1983 Christmas freeze in Florida.

Florida Farm Bureau has come to know and appreciate Partin during his long years of service as State Director. He served on the state board from 1984 to 1999 and served on the budget and executive committees. He also served on the state and American Farm Bureau Citrus Advisory Committees. He has served on the Osceola County Farm Bureau board since 1976.

The Florida Farm Bureau Federation is the state's largest general agricultural association with more than 143,000 member-families statewide. Headquartered in Gainesville, the Federation is an independent, non-profit agricultural organization and is not associated with any arm of the government.