December 2022 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter

Kayla Thomason
YF&R State Leadership Group, District 7

Agriculture runs deep in Kayla Thomason’s blood. Her father managed a fresh citrus packing house for 40 years in St. Lucie County which introduced her to agriculture at a young age. Thomason has fond memories riding around citrus groves and camping out with family amongst the trees. In high school, Thomason began working on research trials for the University of Florida in a citrus postharvest lab. This is what spurred her passion for agriculture.

During her time at the University of Florida, Thomason interned with Syngenta in the plant pathology lab and her passion continued to grow. She graduated from UF with a bachelors in Environmental Management in Ag and Natural Resources in 2012 and went on to pursue a master’s in Agronomy in 2016 and a doctorate in Plant Medicine in 2017.

Upon graduation from UF, Thomason accepted a job as an agronomist for the Sugarcane Growers Cooperative of Florida. Thomason recently accepted a new role as a farm manager for King Ranch at one of their farms in South Florida. She currently grows sugarcane and sweet corn.

Thomason’s involvement with Florida Farm Bureau began when a college friend introduced her to the organization. At the time, her friend was on the state leadership group and encouraged Thomason to attend the Florida Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers conference. During college, Thomason would volunteer at county events when she went home to visit.

After college, Thomason moved back to St. Lucie County and now sits on her county board. Joining the YF&R Leadership Group seemed like a logical step for Thomason to grow in her leadership skills and involvement in Farm Bureau.

“Farm Bureau has allowed me to network with so many people from around the state,” said Thomason. “I like being part of a group who wants to support their communities and who fight for agriculture to remain a vital part of Florida’s way of life.”

Thomason is proud of her county’s involvement in the community. Every February the St. Lucie County Farm Bureau hosts the Brian Schirard Memorial Clay Shoot. The clay shoot raises money for a scholarship fund that is awarded to high school students every year. In addition to the clay shoot, the county hosts a cattle show fundraiser each December. Named the Kyle Patterson Cattle Extravaganza, this show raises money to provide funds for anyone ages 18-35 that are furthering their career in any agricultural related field.

“It’s rare to find funding for anything other than college,” said Thomason. “I think having an opportunity to help young people develop much needed trade skills are important and I’m proud that we are able to do it.”

As more technology becomes available, agriculture is always evolving. Thomason continues to utilize new technology in her career like precision agriculture that pinpoints the exact amount of fertilizer to apply. Additionally, she has been testing soil moisture probes that will help reduce fuel consumption and resources needed to run irrigation.

“To me, ‘growing forward’ means utilizing new technology and practices to help overcome the many obstacles faced in agriculture so we can be as sustainable and productive as possible.”

November 2022 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter

By Madeline Wright and Courtney Larkin, FFB Legislative Affairs Team

The 2022 Election results were extremely positive for Florida Farm Bureau Federation, with 96% of FarmPAC supported candidates winning in the General Election.  More than 7.7 million votes  were cast across the Sunshine State; and Florida Bureau’s FarmPAC supported 43 out of the 45 candidates who will represent agriculture.

“On behalf of all of us at Florida Farm Bureau,” said Legislative Affairs Director Courtney Larkin, “We would like to extend a thank you for contributing to the FarmPAC. The success of our PAC, and our contributions to candidates wouldn’t be possible without your help.”

Historically a swing state, Florida shifted to red. Republicans flipped Miami- Dade County, a district that has not “gone red” for nearly two decades.

In the Senate, FarmPAC supported 10 Republicans and two Democrats.  In the House, FarmPAC supported 26 Republicans and three Democrats. FarmPAC formally endorsed both Governor Ron DeSantis for his reelection, and Senate President Wilton Simpson for Commissioner of Agriculture. The following candidates were supported by FarmPAC:

FLORIDA CABINET:

Governor Ron DeSantis secured his second term in a landslide victory over Congressman Charlie Crist with nearly a 20% margin. This win is the widest margin that Florida has seen in a gubernatorial race.

Former Pasco Farm Bureau President Wilton Simpson, has been elected as Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture. Senate President Simpson is a friend to agriculture and has been a strong advocate for Florida Farm Bureau in the legislature.

Attorney General Ashley Moody defeated her democratic challenger to secure her position as Attorney General. Attorney General Moody is a former prosecutor and federal judge and was first elected in 2018.

Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis won his reelection campaign with 58% of the vote. CFO Patronis was appointed to the position in 2017 by then Governor Rick Scott, winning reelection in 2018.

SENATE:

In the senate, FarmPAC proudly had a 100% win across the board, with the following candidates being supported:

District 1: Senator Doug Broxson

District 2: Jay Trumbull

District 3: Corey Simon

District 6: Senator Jennifer Bradley

District 9: Senator Keith Perry

District 10: Senator Jason Brodeur

District 11: Blaise Ingoglia

District 16: Senator Darryl Rouson

District 20: Senator Jim Boyd

District 25: Senator Vic Torres

District 27: Senator Ben Albritton

District 28: Senator Kathleen Passidomo

HOUSE:

We are proud to have supported so many great candidates for the House, and look forward to working with them as they keep our industry strong.

District 1: Representative Michelle Salzman

District 2: Representative Robert Alexander “Alex” Andrade

District 3: Joel Rudman

District 5: Shane Abbott

District 6: Griff Griffitts

District 7: Representative Jason Shoaf

District 8: Gallop P. Franklin

District 11: Representative Sam Garrison

District 19: Representative Paul Renner

District 22: Representative Charles Wesley “Chuck” Clemons, Sr.

District 23: Representative Ralph E. Massullo, MD

District 26: Representative Keith Truenow

District 35: Representative Fred Hawkins

District 38: Representative David Smith

District 51: Representative Josie Tomkow

District 55: Kevin M. Steele

District 58: Kim Berfield

District 59: Berny Jacques

District 68: Representative Lawrence McClure

District 70: Representative Mike Beltran

District 75: Representative Michael Grant

District 78: Representative Jenna Parsons-Mulicka

District 83: Representative Kaylee Tuck

District 84: Representative Dana Trabulsy

District 85: Representative Toby Overdorf

District 94: Representative Rick Roth

District 103: Representative Robin Bartleman

District 116: Representative Daniel A. Perez

District 117: Representative Kevin Chambliss

For questions on the agricultural candidates or FarmPAC, please contact Courtney Larkin at [email protected].

November 2022 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter

By J. Scott Angle
[email protected]
@IFAS_VP

In the near future, a new UF/IFAS hub dedicated to revolutionizing agriculture will help you make a leap forward in farming.

A center for applied artificial intelligence in agriculture will be that hub. Last month we announced our plan for a 19,000-square-foot facility anchored by a workshop for developing precision ag machine prototypes.

GCREC Director Jack Rechcigl and Associate Director Nathan Boyd have been talking this up for some time. They invited me to GCREC about a year ago to present their vision to me and to a council of stakeholders. The council unanimously supported the project, and several members individually urged us to move on this immediately.

Plans call for research and office space as well and areas designed to encourage conversations to build teams for AI research and Extension. That’s important, because while the center will be based at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Balm, it will develop technologies for the entire state, from the Everglades Agricultural Area to the Panhandle to the Tri-County Agricultural Area.

Hillsborough County has already made a $1.5 million commitment to the center. Our advancement team is seeking private support. We’re requesting funding from the legislature in 2023.

The center will be our most important facilities investment in a generation. We’ll need support from Tallahassee and possibly Washington. You can help by supporting our legislative budget request. I hope it will be top of mind for those of you who participate in Florida Farm Bureau Day and the Taste of Florida Agriculture Reception at the Capitol on March 8.

A center will add momentum to a movement. It will be a declaration that Florida’s farmers and agricultural scientists are the vanguard of feeding the world in a more sustainable way. It will be the epicenter of accelerated evolution of agriculture from human-labor-intensive to technology-driven.

We need to do this now. Global spending on smart technologies such as AI and machine learning directed toward agriculture is projected to triple in the next three years. There is enormous interest in scientific advance, giving us the opportunity to employ the land-grant university-industry-government partnership model to make major global impacts.

Help us imagine a future for agriculture that the center will help create, one where technology again keeps Florida globally competitive, producing our own food, employing Floridians, contributing to the local economy, and making Florida the leader in feeding the world.

There have been few moments in the history of UF/IFAS when the way to create the future is so visible and reachable. We have the experts to do it. The center will help unleash their talent and imagination.

J. Scott Angle is the University of Florida’s Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources and leader of the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS).

November 2022 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter

Chad Flint is a fourth-generation Floridian with a passion for agriculture. Flint resides in Lee County with his wife, Kirstin, and their son Tripp. In addition to running the family business of Structural Moving and Home Elevations, Flint manages their cow/calf operation in Glades County. Although it is just a part-time operation, Flint enjoys the opportunity to be involved in agriculture through his beef cattle herd.

Flint’s involvement with Florida Farm Bureau began through his cousin, an insurance agent in Lee County. At the time, he was involved with the Florida Cattlemen’s Association but was looking to be involved in an organization with likeminded people in his age bracket. His cousin introduced him to District 6 Field Representative Andy Neuhofer who encouraged Flint to become involved with the Young Farmers & Ranchers Group.

Because of his involvement in YF&R, Flint has made numerous connections across the state who share common interests and values.

“Everyone is always warm and welcoming and that is harder and harder to find in today’s world,” said Flint. “I enjoy the opportunities and exposure Farm Bureau provides whether it be from farm tours of different operations to meeting with legislators in Tallahassee. It provides you with insight on how everything works within the state.”

Flint has seen a lot of agricultural changes in his area. This has provided him with unique opportunities for agriculture to remain a part of their community. Their largest agricultural event is the Southwest Florida County Fair, an event Flint attended since he was a young child. He enjoys seeing 4-H and FFA youth show their animals and share their passion for agriculture with fair attendees. Flint assists with the livestock sales when needed.

As his community continues to change due to urban sprawl, Flint finds it important for agriculturalists to find new ways to continue growing forward.

“Growing forward to me means continually innovating and looking into the future to adapt to all of the challenges we face as producers. I believe it is also important to maintain our collective values and morals and make sure that we do not lose those along the way. It is easy to lose sight of what is important in our day to day struggles but we have an obligation to preserve those things from the past and pass it down to the next generation.”

October 2022 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter

Jennifer Swain
YF&R State Leadership Group, District 6

Jennifer Swain’s life has been intertwined in numerous areas of agriculture. Surrounded by pecan orchards, cotton and peanut fields, Swain’s life first began in Alabama where her father worked in a carpet factory, and later, a plant nursery.

Because of her father’s involvement in agriculture, Swain was introduced to other areas of the industry such as watermelon, potato, sugar cane, citrus, and cattle. While she was still young, Swain and her parents moved back to their roots in Sebring where her grandfather had a citrus grove and was involved in the industry for nearly 40 years.

“I have fond memories of riding through the groves with my grandfather, learning to identify different citrus varieties, pests and diseases,” said Swain. “This family tradition of agricultural work sparked a lifelong love affair with the industry for me.”

In addition to her full time job as the Geographic Information System (GIS) Coordinator for Lykes Bros Inc., Swain is a first generation rancher and currently owns and operates her own beef cattle operation, Crimson and Lace LLC. Established in 2019, Swain’s long-term goal is to grow her ranch to be self-sustainable and serve as her full time job.

Swain’s involvement in Florida Farm Bureau began after a Highlands County Farm Bureau member shared his story and passion for the organization. She knew she wanted to be involved after hearing about the support Florida Farm Bureau offers farmers and ranchers across the state.

One of Swain’s favorite events she coordinates within her county is “Taste of the Heartland”. Held in the spring, this event coincides with the Avon Park Lake Farmers Market and is used to educate the community about different commodities grown locally. They reached out to other organizations and businesses like Highlands County Citrus Growers Association, Sutton Milk, local tractor dealerships and the Highlands County AgVenture program for support and donations.

“Bringing awareness to agriculture both publicly and legislatively has made a lasting impact on me,” said Swain.

As the District 6 representative of the Young Farmers and Ranchers Leadership Group, Swain has enjoyed networking with other members and participating in various professional development events.

“Above all else, I love knowing that I have a voice to share my passion with others, including legislators, who can help make a difference.”

Agriculture is used to its share of challenges, Swain stresses the importance of resilience. From regulatory issues to pests and diseases and most recently a natural disaster, she knows firsthand how important it is to adapt in order to survive.

“I’m a first-generation rancher, and my passion for this industry has always been rooted in my heart. When you’re proud of what you do, you’ll be better equipped to overcome any obstacles that come your way.”

August 2022 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter

Kateland Raney has been immersed in the cattle industry since she was a young girl. Her parents owned and operated a livestock market for nearly 20 years and currently own a cow-calf operation. Raney grew up rodeoing and showing steers and beef heifers at the Polk County Fair.

In addition to her job as an agricultural loan closer at AgAmerica, Raney owns a commercial cow-calf operation and is the bookkeeper for her family’s beef business. She and her father run a direct to consumer beef business named Pine Lakes Beef Company. Together, they raise, and sell individual cuts to customers.

Although she was aware of the Florida Farm Bureau Federation, Raney credits her involvement in the Young Farmers & Ranchers program to one of her colleagues at AgAmerica. He invited Raney to a meeting and she was surprised at the amount of people she knew and how much she enjoyed it. Since that first meeting, Raney has involved herself in the Polk County YF&R group and currently serves as county co-chair and represents District 5 on the state leadership team.

“I love the relationships I get to build with other farmers and ranchers from not only across the state, but across the country,” said Raney. “It’s nice to be around people who share the same interest. Having the opportunity to go on farm tours and be introduced to other commodities that I don’t necessarily know, has really helped grow my knowledge of the industry. Every farm has story and it’s really cool to see first hand how time has shaped these operations into what they are now.”

Raney is proud of the growth she has seen in District 5 and the events they host for members. They have recently seen great success on their first district farm tour held earlier this year. With approximately 40 people in attendance, members from across the district toured farms in the area and heard from professionals in agriculture. YF&R members from the panhandle drove down for the tour as well. Despite rainy weather and many alterations to the day’s schedule, the group remained resilient and had a successful event. Raney said she is excited to make the tour a semiannual event.

“Farmers and Ranchers are resilient by nature. Overcoming hardships and rebounding quickly from setbacks, is a necessity to continue to provide for our families and the country”, said Raney. “The passion we share for the ag industry is greater than the struggles being faced at the time, and at the end of the day, all of the hard work will be worth it.”