North Florida producers honored for
environmental stewardship
(LIVE OAK, Fla.) - Thirty-six North Florida farmers
were recognized July 1 for outstanding environmental stewardship.
Commissioner of Agriculture Charles Bronson and Florida Farm
Bureau President Carl B. Loop Jr. presented the awards for implementing
best management practices (BMPs) that reduce or eliminate the
flow of nutrients into the middle Suwannee River. More than
600 people attended the dinner at state Rep. Dwight Stansel’s
farm in Suwannee County.
The awards were made under the auspices of the
County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship (CARES),
a cooperative, voluntary program supported by the Florida Farm
Bureau Federation, county Farm Bureaus, the Suwannee River Water
Management District and the other federal, state and local government
agencies that make up the Suwannee Partnership.
Each of the farmers will have a sign placed at
their farm gate proclaiming “This Farm CARES.” The
first group of CARES signs was placed on farms during Spring
2001. With this year’s inductees, 137 participants have
been recognized with CARES signs in the last three years. The
goal is to increase public recognition of farmers’ responsible
management of natural resources.
Florida Farm Bureau and the other cooperating agencies that
make up 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.
Farm Bureau is developing similar programs in
other areas of 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.
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Florida Farm Bureau Federation