South Florida Water Management District ag highlights- July 2008

U.S. Sugar/SFWMD Land Acquisition

On June 24th, Florida Farm Bureau issued the following statement regarding the announcement of the sale of U.S. Sugar’s land to the state of Florida.

The Florida Farm Bureau Federation yesterday learned of the tentative agreement between U.S. Sugar and the state of Florida to sell its agricultural lands to the South Florida Water Management District.

This major development will require the recasting of the long-standing plans for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program.

Farm Bureau is concerned about the short and long-term social and economic repercussions this will have in those communities, especially for the rural residents. The economies of these areas could be adversely affected as well as the tax base for the county government in that region.

U.S. Sugar has made many positive contributions to Florida's agricultural industry in the 80 years they have been in operation. In addition they have been good Farm Bureau members.
As the state's largest agricultural organization, Florida Farm Bureau will continue to monitor and offer assistance in the development of the management plan for this property.

Rural Economic Development Initiative Preparing To Assist Communities Impacted by Land Sale

MaryHelen Blakeslee, Coordinator of the Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) made a presentation to the South Florida Water Management District governing board during the regular June meeting. Ms. Blakeslee spoke of the planned preparations to help the impacted communities around the south and east side of Lake Okeechobee.

REDI will “focus and coordinate resources of the state of Florida on rural community economic development”. This effort will cover many agencies and will address problems collaboratively according to Blakeslee.

Since the announcement of the transaction, REDI has been putting together agency groups most likely to be involved. Some of the actions being explored are:
• A focus on ‘nature based tourism’.*
• Department of Education/Workforce Florida identifying skill sets, retraining and curriculum development.
• Survey existing small businesses.
• Creation of a website to serve as the primary communications tool.
• Facilitated community meetings to begin no later than the third week in August.

REDI was established to better serve Florida's rural communities by providing a more focused and coordinated effort among state and regional agencies that provide programs and services for rural areas. REDI is housed in the Governor's Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development where it coordinates the efforts of state and regional agencies working to assist qualified communities. Chapter 288.0656, Florida Statutes, describes the duties and responsibilities of REDI and authorizes the participation of a variety of state and regional agencies in the initiative. REDI's area of responsibility is limited to assisting economically distressed rural communities.

The definition of economic distress focuses on economic measures and comparisons between a particular community and similar measures for the state as follows:
Economic distress means conditions affecting the fiscal and economic viability of a rural community, including such factors as low per capita income, low per capita taxable values, high unemployment, high underemployment, low weekly earned wages compared to the state average, low housing values compared to the state average, high percentages of the population receiving public assistance, high poverty levels compared to the state average, and a lack of year-round stable employment opportunities. FS 288.0506 (2)(a)

* Nature based tourism is a term used extensively in many meetings. I personally believe that although this is a viable alternative that can create some job opportunities it is, at best, a niche market and should not be the focus of REDI’s work in these communities.

Construction of Water Storage Projects in Limbo

Due to the proposed acquisition, many of the water storage projects that are presently under construction have either been halted or are being reassessed. The following is a list of the major projects and their current status:
• EAA Storage Reservoir (Status: Construction suspended) – One of the largest above ground manmade reservoirs to have ever been built. At 16,700 acres (26 sq. miles), the initial purpose of this reservoir was for water storage. A water treatment component is now being considered. This structure is within the footprint of the ‘River of Grass’ as proposed by the Water Management District.
• C-43 Reservoir (Status: Renamed) – On land southwest of Labelle, test cells have been constructed to determine the engineering characteristics of this reservoir. Water Management District officials are now calling this proposed reservoir the ‘Caloosahatchee Water Quality Project’. The water supply component of this project seems to have disappeared.
• C-44 Reservoir/Stormwater Treatment Area (Status: Downsized) – Located east of Indiantown, what once was 9,700 acres in size has been reduced to a 4,000 acre reservoir with 4,000 acres of stormwater treatment.
• EAA Bolles (L-21) Canal (Status: Scope to be determined) – The Bolles canal is a critical east-west canal in the Everglades Agricultural Area. The Bolles Canal Improvement Project, in conjunction with improvements to the Miami Canal and North New River Canal, would have provided the necessary additional conveyance capacity needed to enhance storage in the EAA Storage Reservoir and STAs, improve agricultural deliveries, and increase flood protection.

Florida Farm Bureau Federation is concerned that as projects change in purpose, the water storage and conveyance components are being ignored. Storage and conveyance is critical to agriculture during times of drought and flooding.

C-111 Spreader Canal Project Construction to be Expedited

It was reported to the governing board that the C-111 Spreader Canal Project will proceed forward using cash on hand as well as the remaining balance of the certificate of participation funds that were earmarked for the EAA reservoir construction project.

C-111 is the north-south canal that separates the eastern border of the Everglades National Park (ENP) and the farmland and urban areas of Homestead and Everglades City.

This project will create a ‘stair step system’ that will form a hydraulic head to keep water in Taylor Slough located in ENP. District officials say that this will “build an underground mound of water while still protecting against flooding to the east”.

Florida Farm Bureau Federation and local farmers are cautiously monitoring the project as minute ground water level changes can result in catastrophic crop failure. This area is the source for many winter vegetables in the United States.

Water Management District Assists in the Fight to Eliminate Exotic Fern

The governing board approved a resolution to work with the United States Department of Agriculture in developing and monitoring biological control agents to combat Old World Climbing Fern (Lygodium microphyllum).

Old World climbing fern is an invasive exotic vine in Florida, native to Asia and Australia. The vine has spread throughout many regions of the state, climbing into trees and shading out native or agricultural plants. The vine has the unique ability to "re-sprout" from almost anywhere along each climbing leaf.

Florida Farm Bureau Federation policies support the development of state and federal funding for the evaluation, control and eradication of defined pest plants.