This is the final installment in a series about the recent dismantling and complete replacement underway of the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) governing board.
As the debate about South Florida’s water woes continues to grow almost as fast as the Florida population, farmers and ranchers around the state are starting to wonder what these abrupt changes at SFWMD might mean for their areas in the future. As Florida’s population is destined to keep exploding, what were once rural landscapes will continue to urbanize.
In this exclusive seven-minute interview with AgNet Media, former SFWMD governing board member Brandon Tucker talks straight and shares several of his many concerns about the timing of these changes and the way they were handled. Tucker doesn’t mince words when discussing misinformation he says confuses the public and pits some interests against others, often at the expense of progress. He also describes how he feels agriculture is being unfairly singled out for blame, while the governing board is now being stripped of any voice from the farming community at the same time.
Like other former governing board members recently made to exit their duties at SFWMD, Tucker continues to share his opinions and concerns with community groups and others in the region.
Gary Cooper is the founder and president of AgNet Media, Inc., based in Gainesville, Florida.