Winner’s View: Jerry Newlin On Health Care Reform And More

Winner's View

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In the last five issues, Florida Grower’s Citrus Achievement Award winner Jerry Newlin has addressed important issues of the day. In this final installment of “Winner’s View,” Orange-Co’s vice president of citrus operations discusses a range of topics from health care reform, Temik (aldicarb, Bayer CropScience), and iPhone apps.

Have you studied at all how health care reform might impact your operations?
Newlin: “Yes, our HR Director has put in some serious time looking at the ramifications. Currently, we have a good program supplied to all of our full-time employees. We see the new reform act as very complicated for us and the employee. It will require more paperwork, and we expect an increase in cost. We’re all about reducing health care cost. But from what we’ve seen so far, it doesn’t look like the new act will make that happen.”

What is your opinion on the phase-out of Temik?
Newlin: Disappointment. Temik has been a valuable tool for the Florida citrus grower for decades. It’s surprising that after all these years, it’s being taken off the market due to a philosophical change in modeling of the food basket relative to pesticides, not science. I’ve never met a farmer yet that wants to poison people or the environment. All we ask for is a fair scientific review. Also, is citrus coming into the U.S. going to have Temik applied? I think we should make it a level playing field.”

What’s the coolest app on your iPhone?
Newlin
: “There’s so many amazing applications that bring the world to your finger tips, but for now, I’ll go with one of the simplest, the calendar. Now I can schedule on the move, out for months, and have alerts remind me of the scheduled function. With the busy lives we all live these days, a reminder in my pocket is a good thing.”

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

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