Opinion: Fueling Up Florida’s Future
July 1, 2009 We are excited about hosting the fourth annual “Farm to Fuel” summit from July 29 through July 31 in Orlando.If previous summits are any indication — and last summer we had nearly 500 participants attending — we expect this year’s version to be bigger and better than ever.
It is an opportunity for industry leaders in agriculture, energy, academia, banking, and government to hear from an array of experts on how Florida can become a national leader in the production of renewable energy from our farms, ranches, and forests. We’ll have presentations, including a keynote address by Gov. Charlie Crist, which will provide participants with the latest information they need to move forward in the industry.
Despite the recent downturn in the economy, enthusiasm remains high for developing a robust renewable energy industry in Florida. As the industry becomes established, we will be reducing our dependence on foreign oil while providing alternative crops for our farmers and ranchers to grow to keep their agricultural operations viable.
We conceived the “Farm to Fuel” initiative nearly five years ago, and it was inspired by a national, bipartisan organization (of which I am a steering committee member) by the name of “25x’25” — an organization committed to seeing agriculture produce 25% of the nation’s energy needs by the year 2025.
Thanks to the Florida Legislature and the support of Gov. Crist, we have issued renewable energy grants to companies and universities for projects ranging from promising research in the renewable energy field to major construction projects to build large commercial ethanol and biodiesel plants using Florida-grown crops, agricultural wastes, and other biomass material. And the projects literally span the state, from the Panhandle to South Florida.
As I stated previously, establishing a renewable energy industry in Florida will have the twofold benefit of reducing our dependence on foreign oil while giving farmers and ranchers additional crops to grow to keep their land in agriculture. It will also create jobs and could double the economic value of our agriculture industry.
A recent study by UF/IFAS concluded that Florida agriculture has an economic impact of more than $100 billion per year. The study estimated that the industry generates more than 750,000 jobs in this state.
I believe that an established renewable energy industry within the next 10 years could double the economic impact that agriculture currently provides and add thousands of jobs along the way. It is no stretch to conclude that Florida has the potential to be the leader in the renewable energy field. No other state in the country has our advantages of plentiful sunshine, ample rainfall, and a year-round growing season on our nearly 17 million acres of farm, ranch, and forest land. So you see why we’re excited.
This year’s summit returns to the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, which in 2007 was designated as a Florida Green Lodge. For more information about the “Farm to Fuel” initiative and upcoming summit, check our website at www.floridafarmtofuel.com. Meanwhile, I’m looking forward to seeing you there in Orlando.
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