News Release

(GAINESVILLE, Fla.) – Donald R. Rou of Williston, a Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) and senior sales consultant for Agro Distributions, is the 2003 Florida winner of the Excellence in Crop Advising Award from the American Farm Bureau Foundation. Terry Teuton, Anthony, Fla., and Gene Waldron, Sr., owner of Waldron Farms, Citra, Fla. nominated Rou for the honor.

“In my opinion and from what I have heard many times from growers, county agents and others in agriculture, Rou’s service and educational information for growers is as good as it gets,” said extension plant pathologist Tom Kucharek of the University of Florida/IFAS. “If I wanted to write a book on the various techniques associated with crop advising, Donny would be the senior author.”

Certified Crop Advisers assist producers in making decisions that are agronomically, economically and environmentally sound. To be certified, advisers must pass two comprehensive written examinations, meet professional and educational standards set by the American Society of Agronomy and maintain their certification through continuing education. They must also sign a code of ethics pledging to work in the best interest of their client. Together, a farmer and a CCA make a team that works to put good management practices to work on the farm. Rou received his Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) designation in 1997.

As Florida’s Certified Crop Adviser of the Year, Rou receives a handsome plaque and will be recognized at a Florida Farm Bureau meeting. He is also in the running for the national Excellence in Crop Advising award sponsored by the American Farm Bureau Federation in association with the ASA. The national winner and spouse will be honored at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual convention in Honolulu, Hawaii, Jan. 11-14, 2004. The national award includes a plaque, an all expense paid trip to the national convention for the national winner and spouse, plus $500 cash.

The Florida Farm Bureau Federation is the state’s largest general agricultural association with more than 150,000 member-families statewide. Headquartered in Gainesville, the Federation is an independent, non-profit agricultural organization and is not associated with any arm of government.

For more information about the Certified Crop Adviser program, visit http://www.agronomy.org/cca. A photograph of Rou is available at http://FloridaFarmBureau.org/newsrel/2003/Rou.jpg.