Florida Farm Bureau celebrates its 63rd
annual meeting
(ORLANDO, Fla.) - Farm Bureau members from across
the state gathered at the Walt Disney World Coronado Springs
Resort for the Florida Farm Bureau Federation's 63rd Annual
Meeting Oct. 27-29. Highlighting the event was the presentation
of awards to agricultural leaders”
“Agriculture is experiencing some difficult
times as a result of four recent hurricanes,” said Carl
Loop Jr, president of Florida Farm Bureau Federation. “Farmers
and ranchers have performed heroically. Agriculture is recovering
and we will move forward together to continue to support Florida’s
economy as our state’s number two industry.”
Florida Farm Bureau Federation’s highest
honor, the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award, was presented
to Hilward Morgan of White Springs, a life-long Hamilton County
farmer, and to James Watson of Jacksonville, a Exension agent
who helped found many of the state’s agricultural organizations
and who for many years hosted a weekly agricultural television
show in Jacksonville.
Florida Farm Bureau Federation honored Sen. Nancy
Argenziano, R-Crystal River, Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Winter Haven,
and Rep. Joe Pickens, R-Palatka, and Rep. Greg Evers, R-Baker,
as Legislators of the Year for outstanding work on behalf of
Florida agriculture during the 2004 session of the Florida Legislature.
Spring and Jay Froehlich drove away in a new Dodge
Ram quad cab truck as winners in the Florida Outstanding Young
Farmer and Rancher (YF&R) competition. They also received
an expense-paid trip to the American Farm Bureau annual meeting
in Jan. 9-11, 2005 in Charlotte, N.C. There they will represent
Florida in the national YF&R competition. The winner of
the national competition will receive a Dodge Ram 3500 Quad
Cab 4x4 SLT pickup and an Arctic Cat® 454 4x4 ATV.
Brad Etheridge, a Levy County rancher, won the
Young Farmer and Rancher Discussion Meet and will compete in
the American Farm Bureau YF&R Discussion Meet at the national
convention in Charlotte, N.C. The discussion meet is a forum
that allows young farmers and ranchers to demonstrate their
ability to express ideas and opinions on major agricultural
issues.
Ila and Shawn Crocker were winners of the Farm
Bureau Excellence in Agriculture Award. This program is designed
as an opportunity for young farmers and ranchers who do not
derive the majority of their income from an owned agricultural
operation to earn recognition. Participants are judged on their
involvement in agriculture, leadership ability and involvement
and participation in Farm Bureau and other organizations, including
civic, service and community. The Crockers received $500 and
will compete at the national competition in Charlotte, N.C.
Philip Horvath of Suwannee County was the winner
of the Youth Speech Contest. Contestants addressed the topic:
“Why is it important for Farmers and Ranchers to take
an active role in the “Political Process?” Horvath
received $500 and a plaque recognizing his achievement.
Mark Maffett of Dade City received the Certified
Crop Advisor Award presented jointly by the Florida Farm Bureau
Fderation and the Florida Certified Crop Advisor Program. Certified
Crop Advisers assist producers in making decisions that are
agronomically, economically and environmentally sound. Maffett
has served as a Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) for more than 29
years.
“Together, a farmer and a CCA make a team
that works to put good management practices to work on the farm,”
Loop said.
Thirty-four of the state’s 61 County Farm
Bureaus were honored superior work in the five program categories,
which included Organization & Management, Legislative/Policy
Implementation, Educational/Agriculture promotion and Leadership
Development.
Letitia Stein, a reporter for the St. Petersburg
Times was the recipient of the Newsperson of the Year award
for outstanding coverage of agriculture.
The Florida Farm Bureau Federation is the state's
largest general-interest agricultural association with more
than 152,000 member-families statewide. There are Farm Bureaus
in 61 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