Farm Labor, Mentoring Top Priorities For Citrus Achievement Award Winner

Bobby Barben, 2013 Citrus Achievement Award winnerEditor’s Note: This Q&A is the final installment featuring the 2013 Florida Grower Citrus Achievement Award winner Bobby Barben. The Avon Park-based grower also serves as the chairman of the Research Management Committee of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF).

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Q: What are you hearing on the government shutdown’s impact on sourcing H-2A labor?

A: We’ve been discussing the situation with H-2A and our understanding from the few people we talked to was that they thought what holdups there were are being worked through in a timely manner. It sounds like some political pressure was brought to bear. We heard Sen. (Bill) Nelson was helpful. Going forward, it seems obvious domestic labor may not be abundant enough to be counted on in tight labor years. We need a labor program that would allow labor to come and go in a less cumbersome fashion. We also need a prevailing wage rate rather than an adverse wage rate. I think having USDA in control of non-domestic labor rather than the Department of Labor also would be helpful. We need someone who wants to help us get our crops harvested rather than an agency that is hindering the process.

Q: What would you tell the younger generation of growers coming up into roles of responsibility?

A: I would tell young growers to learn all they could from the older generation, but to think outside the box. All of the good ideas haven’t been thought of yet. They may figure out ways to grow more fruit per acre or do it cheaper. Of course, that goes for all of us. It is important to occasionally ask yourself why are we doing things this way. ‘Because we always have’ shouldn’t be a good answer.
To the younger generation, I would say, don’t be afraid to make a mistake and don’t be afraid to be leveraged. Being broke when you are young and working hard to pay off a grove is what it’s all about. You’ll thank yourself when you are older and that grove is helping you buy more acreage or just live more comfortably.
I learned a great deal from the older generation in spite of being a hard-headed young man. From my father, I learned a lot about the economics of citrus. I had a couple of real good consultants, particularly Harold McTeer. He was probably the wisest citrus producer I ever met and just a wonderful guy.

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Special thanks to Chemtura AgroSolutions for sponsoring the Citrus Achievement Award.

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