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[email protected] @JackPayneIFAS By Jack Payne Late last year I called Kenneth Parker to ask a favor. I thought a lot about it before I dialed, because I knew his answer would be yes. It always is. I needed a new Florida delegate to a national grassroots council that converges on…

FloridAgriculture eNews | May 2020 When the COVID-19 pandemic forced businesses deemed non-essential to shut down, disruptions in the food supply chain created a domino effect across agriculture. Florida farmers and ranchers faced severe challenges because key markets and distribution channels were closed. The heart and determination of Florida Farm…

April 2020 FloridAgriculture e-Newsletter By Jack Payne [email protected] @JackPayneIFAS The Coronavirus doesn’t stop the need to feed. In fact, the run on supermarkets as I wrote this in mid-March demonstrates how demand for food spikes during a crisis. This is a moment (maybe a months-long “moment”) for agriculture and agricultural…

April 2020 e-Newsletter Session Update The Florida Legislature wrapped up the only remaining business for the 2020 Legislative Session: passing a budget.  Unanimous votes in each chamber sent the largest budget ever to the desk of Gov. Ron DeSantis. Some general highlights of the $93.2 billion budget include more than…

Tom Rieder Dade County Farm Bureau President Born and raised in Miami, Dade County Farm Bureau President Tom Rieder has made a name for himself in South Florida agriculture realty. In 1971, he began his career in vacant land sales and by 1974 he was operating his own business. Today,…

Women’s Committee Handbook Good grammar is key! You are an editor now. Watch spelling and punctuations. You are posting to the world and will be called out on it. Try not to use CAPS LOCK. It is obnoxious! Keep content brief. One to two sentences with a link, photo or…

Women’s Committee Handbook Speaking in public is the #1 fear of all fears. The fear of dying is #7! Over 41% of people have some fear or anxiety dealing with speaking in front of groups. People who have this fear can experience all kinds of symptoms: Sweaty palms, accelerated heart…

Women’s Leadership Handbook Many newspapers are anxious to hear from their readers and to share information that has a local angle. Because of this, letters-to-the-editor can be an effective way to communicate information about agriculture and the Farm Bureau. It is important to remember that letters do not always need…

Women’s Committee Handbook Matching the Volunteer to the Job What has this person done well? A person will tend to volunteer for a task, which is similar to one, which he/she performed before. What does this person like to do? Too many times, the volunteer is eagerly accepted to fill…

Women’s Handbook Working on a committee can be a deeply rewarding experience to both the individual and the organization. Effective committees can be one of the most important working forces of our organization. This is particularly true if committee members are selected for the contribution they can make and are…

Mickey Bandi Okeechobee County Farm Bureau President Okeechobee County Farm Bureau President Mickey Bandi is proud to represent the farmers and ranchers in his community. “Agriculture is the largest industry in Okeechobee County,” he said. “It’s very important to us to be part of organizations like Farm Bureau that look…

The process to amend the state constitution is interesting in Florida, as there are multiple avenues to change our state’s fundamental governing document. Florida Farm Bureau takes a close look at all of the constitutional proposals on the ballot and has always been wary of citizen initiatives that change the…