Florida Specialty Crop Foundation Draws Strength From Within

By Lisa Lochridge|January 31, 2014

The only thing better than supporting specialty crop research, helping to educate young people, and providing services to children of farmworkers, is being able to triple that support. And for the next few months, you can do just that by contributing to the Florida Specialty Crop Foundation.
The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association and FFVA Mutual Insurance Co. have issued a Matching Funds Challenge that will allow the foundation to triple its fund-raising capability between now and July 31. FFVA and FFVA Mutual Insurance will match every dollar contributed during that time, up to $25,000 each. “We are very privileged at the foundation to have such strong support from both FFVA and FFVA Mutual Insurance to support the important causes on which we focus,” said Sonia Tighe, executive director. “This will allow us to triple our financial outreach.”
The Florida Specialty Crop Foundation benefits the public through initiatives that provide solutions to challenges facing specialty crop producers and their stakeholders. Since its inception in 1991, the Foundation has raised $7.7 million through industry support, government grants, and special events. The “three-legged stool” of the foundation is research, education, and philanthropy.

Science Minded
Through a variety of research initiatives, the foundation contributes to the sustainability of Florida specialty crop production. The foundation provides support for specialty crop research with direct funding and contract management of specialty crop block grants. In 2013, the foundation received eight new block grants totaling nearly $1.3 million. Research emphasis areas include:
• Ground culture tomatoes
• Citrus health management areas extension model
• Bacterial leaf spot in lettuce
• Recycled waste management
(mill mud)
• Local choice consumer messaging
• New crop development (pomegranates, blackberries)
• Farmers Feeding Florida support
• Florida Ag Financial Management Conference (FAFMC.org)

Nurturing The Next Generation
The foundation’s emphasis on education includes grower outreach and efforts that enhance the lives of young people pursuing careers in agriculture. A signature program of the foundation is FFVA’s Emerging Leader Development Program. The foundation administers the program, which equips young leaders with knowledge of the issues facing agriculture and gives them the tools to be successful advocates. Six sessions throughout the year cover FFVA’s mission and programs, agricultural issues, advocacy, and specialty crop production.
The George F. Sorn Scholarship benefits children of farmworkers involved in Florida specialty crop agriculture. Up to $3,000 is available each year to qualified high school graduates and current college students. Five students are currently benefiting from this scholarship. University of South Florida student
Flor Rodriguez and Immokalee High graduate Ashley Vernet were the lucky 2013 recipients.
The annual Agricultural Labor Relations Forum, which is under the auspices of the foundation, educates growers, shippers, processors, and other employers on myriad regulatory and legislative issues regarding farmworkers. Employers from across the country attended the 2013 forum in Orlando.

Giving Back, Getting Back
Through a number of philanthropic efforts, the foundation is working to improve the lives of children of specialty crop farmworkers. In a new partnership with Bayer CropScience, for example, the foundation is collaborating with Farmers Feeding Florida to provide grower incentives for wholesome yet unmarketable food to be delivered to families participating in the Redlands Christian Migrant Association’s (RCMA) programs.
The foundation also participates each year in the RCMA Christmas Card Project to raise money through the sale of holiday cards designed by RCMA students. In 2013, the program printed more than 13,000 cards and raised more than $27,000. Including matching funds, RCMA will receive more than $200,000.
The 15th annual Benefit Auction, sponsored by the Foundation, raised $17,040 at FFVA’s annual convention to support the George Sorn Scholarship program, RCMA, and the Emerging Leader Development Program.