Here Is Florida’s 2022 Woman of the Year in Agriculture

Madeline Mellinger, 2022 Florida Woman of the Year in Ag

Madeline Mellinger, founder and CEO of Glades Crop Care, has been named Florida’s 2022 Woman of the Year in Agriculture.
Photo courtesy of FDACS

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried has announced as the state’s 2022 Woman of the Year in Agriculture winner. Madeline Mellinger, founder and CEO of Glades Crop Care, is now among those honored for their outstanding contributions to Florida agriculture.

In 1972, Mellinger founded Glades Crop Care Inc. and remains its CEO today. Glades Corp Care is an independent agricultural consulting and contract research firm based in South Florida that provides integrated pest management and crop counseling services to more than 65,000 acres of plants and more than 60 varieties of fresh vegetable crops, citrus, rice, and sugarcane.

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Mellinger’s work has changed the way farmers in Florida approach pest control. Her work showed producers they could shift from calendar-based pesticide application to need-based, which saved farmers money and reduced negative agricultural environmental impact.

She has dedicated time throughout the years to serving on a number of UF/IFAS-related advisory boards. In addition, she and her husband, Dr. Charles Mellinger, were vital in the establishment of the Doctor of Plant Medicine Program at the University of Florida. Mellinger has been repeatedly recognized for her service, including being named a Friend of UF/IFAS in 2014 and was one of Florida Trend’s Living Legends for 2018-2020.

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She is known among her peers for her work as a mentor to women seeking to become leaders in the agricultural industry and the establishment of the Foundation of Environmental Agriculture Education, which funds scholarships for students who major in crop production or related fields.

“It’s an honor to announce Madeline Mellinger as this year’s Woman of the Year in Agriculture,” Fried says. “Madeline has dedicated 50 years to Florida’s agriculture industry and is an innovator in the field of integrated pest management. As a business owner, scientist, and mentor, she has contributed greatly to the development of Florida’s next generation of growers and our agricultural industry as a whole. We are thrilled to be able to celebrate her with this award.”

For over thirty years, women who have made outstanding contributions to Florida agriculture have been honored with the Woman of the Year in Agriculture award, sponsored by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in conjunction with the Florida State Fair Authority.

Mellinger will be presented the award during the Florida State Fair next February in Tampa.

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