News Release

(LIVE OAK, Fla.) -- (Live Oak, Fla.) - Farmers who have voluntarily adopted Best Management Practices (BMPs) to manage the flow of nutrients to the Middle Suwannee Basin will be recognized for their ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship at a dinner Thursday, July 3 at Rep. Dwight Stansel’s Farm located near Live Oak. Florida Farm Bureau Federation, in cooperation with the Suwannee River Partnership and the Suwannee River Water Management District, will induct 32 agricultural producers who have implemented sound environmental procedures into the County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship program (CARES).

CARES is an incentive-based program dedicated to protecting Florida’s water quality by promoting environmentally sound and economically viable farming. It is backed by 31 agricultural associations, government agencies and corporations working together in partnership with farmers to reduce nitrate levels in the river and groundwater through voluntary management programs.

“Farmers CARE about the environment,” said Frankie Hall, assistant director of Agricultural Policy for the Florida Farm Bureau. “We all drink the water and live on the land, but the farmer depends on these things for his livelihood.”

In order to qualify for the program farmers must implement BMPs specific to their farming operation. BMPs are used to minimize pollutants from agricultural activities from entering water resources.

The implementation of BMPs is a continual process that requires an on-farm assessment to indicate the operation’s needs. It often takes several years to fully execute the practices.

Once the recognition is received, on-site inspections verify continued environmental stewardship efforts through a quality assurance program. Participation in the CARES program signifies a long-term commitment to the environment.

“We have always tried to comply with environmental regulations to better our land and water,” said dairy farmer Robert Piechocki. “This is just another step along the way.” Piechocki will receive his CARES sign at the reception this year.

Farmers selected for recognition under the CARES program will have a sign placed at their farm gates proclaiming “This Farm CARES.” The first group of CARES signs was placed on farms during Spring 2001. Florida Farm Bureau and the other cooperating agencies of the Suwannee Partnership continue to promote the CARES program to assure that the public understands the significant contributions made by the farms displaying the signs.

“The CARES program benefits everyone, not just the farmer,” Hall said. “The public needs to realize that farmers do care about the environment and are willing to step forward and implement the practices that are needed.”

With this year’s inductees, there have been 101 participants recognized with CARES signs in the last three years. The CARES program is currently expanding to include the Santa Fe River Basin and the Indian River citrus area. Florida Farm Bureau plans to implement the program throughout the state.

The Florida Farm Bureau Federation is the state's largest general-interest agricultural association with more than 150,000 member-families statewide. There are Farm Bureaus in 62 counties in Florida, where agriculture comprises a stable, vital leg of Florida's economy, rivaling the tourism industry in economic importance. Headquartered in Gainesville, the Federation is an independent, non-profit agricultural organization and is not associated with any arm of the government. More information is available on the organization’s website, http://FloridaFarmBureau.org.