Opinion: Farmers Are Hardy Souls
May 1, 2010 I’ve been fortunate to have been around growers for all my life. My family owned an agchem dealership, cotton warehouses, and a peanut buying point in Georgia. So I grew up among the men and women who made our little community thrive. Then, in all my working life, I’ve held jobs directly involved in agriculture. As you can imagine, I’ve seen my share of floods, droughts, pestilence, and disease. But, through it all, I’ve always been amazed at how well the vast majority of farmers handle the challenges of the day — many in good humor with smiles on their faces.
Mother Nature And Media Matters
I’ve been witness to different forms of agriculture from all over the country. I have to tell you, Florida probably faces more challenges than any other place I’ve been. Probably not what you want to hear, but true. Our citrus growers have greening, which has been described as one of the most difficult and devastating pest and disease complexes known to man. And, just recently fresh citrus growers got the bad news that citrus black spot had been found in the state (more on that in our June issue).
Our vegetable growers got nailed by the freeze and cold winter. To add insult to injury, ABC News did an awful hit piece on strawberry growers after their market collapsed and some fields were abandoned. ABC characterized the growers as being selfish, letting good food go to waste in the field. I applaud the Florida Strawberry Growers Association’s Ted Campbell for his vigorous defense of our berry growers. He wrote a strong letter to the folks at ABC News. You can .
Man-Made Disaster
Florida growers face enough from the markets and Mother Nature, but increasingly they are forced to contend with onerous regulations on how they can farm on their own property. In the past year, I hear more and more growers raise concerns about over-regulation from the government. A citrus grower very involved in the fight against greening even told me that government regulation is a bigger threat than the disease itself. Almost everyday, I receive several news releases from EPA announcing new regulations here or tightened restrictions there. All of the restrictions come with increased costs. While we must protect our environment, we also must keep the people who feed us in business.
Looking For Leaders
With these challenges, we need strong leaders in agriculture like Danny Johns, this month’s cover story. He is very active as an advocate for ag. Next month, we will honor another leader with the Citrus Achievement Award. The winner will be featured on our cover and will be presented the award at Florida Citrus Mutual’s Annual Conference in Bonita Springs on June 10. Hope to see you there!
Subscribe Today For
