November 2020
Florida Farm Bureau Federation is pleased to honor 22 farmers and ranchers with the County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship (CARES) award for their outstanding natural resource conservation.
The recipients honored are:
Robert Capote, Capote Cattle Company in Alachua County
Ray Norman, Rockin N Farms in Bradford County
Joe Tillman, Tillman Farms in Calhoun County
Terry Dicks, Bar D Ranch in Columbia County
Travis Miller, DeSoto Grove in DeSoto County
Alan Heinrich, Tree Town USA in Flagler County
Myles Langford, Myles Langford Farm in Gilchrist County
Dale Sult, ND Farm Cattle Co. in Hamilton County
Marlon Pendergrass, The Groves of Peace River in Hardee County
Joan, George & Jeffrey Casey, JG Ranch in Hernando County
Ryan Ziglar, Lazy Acres Family Farm in Jackson County
Calvin Moody, Jeffco Dairy, LLC in Jefferson County
Tom Gardner, Big House Farms, LLC in Lafayette County
Travis Page, Hutto Pond Farms, LLC in Madison County
Michael Stokes, Stokesville Family Farm in Nassau County
Gary Holley, Holley Farms in Okaloosa County
Doug Doran, Magnolia Hills in Putnam County
Donnie “Frank” Lowry, Lowry Farms in Santa Rosa County
Ben Wells, Ben Wells Produce, LLC in St. Johns County
Amy Burgey & Gary Cohen, Gan Eden Farms in Suwannee County
W.D. Andrews, W.D. Andrews Hay Farm in Union County
Trevor Starling, Starling Nursery in Volusia County
The CARES program was established by Florida Farm Bureau and the Suwannee River Partnership in 2001 to recognize superior natural resource conservation by agricultural producers. The program relies on the action by farmers and ranchers to implement state-of-the-art natural resource management systems, or Best Management Practices, on their properties.
“It is imperative to recognize all Florida farmers who go the extra mile in caring for natural resources,” said Florida Farm Bureau President John L. Hoblick. “The CARES award is our way to honor these farmers and ranchers and bring awareness of production agriculture’s commitment to superior natural resource management.”
Florida farmers and ranchers depend upon the life-sustaining capacity of the natural resources they manage to maintain their livelihoods. More than 800 agriculturists statewide have received the CARES award since the program was established.
In partnership with more than 60 public agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource and Conservation Service, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Florida’s water management districts, agricultural organizations, businesses and local government, CARES has become a model nationwide.