Making a strong statement that the Florida agriculture industry is far from waning, well over a thousand producers and ag industry leaders joined Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Bronson for fellowship and dinner while honoring this year’s four inductees into the industry’s most exclusive club of pioneers. This year’s honors went to (l to r) “Pete” Clemons, Okeechobee; Hugh English, LaBelle; Fritz Stein Jr, Belle Glade & Dr Alto Straughn, Waldo.
Each of this year’s winners were accompanied to the event by dozens of their own local supporters, and hundreds of producers and industry leaders made it a night as well. Southeast AgNet hats are off to these exceptional people who have had so much impact on an industry that is so important to all of us, economically and otherwise. Learn more about the winners through links and information located at the Florida Ag Hall of Fame website.
It’s also ironic to note, in the midst of so much talk about severe budget cuts to agricultural research in the coming legislative session, several of this year’s inductees attributed strong agricultural research as a critical element to their success and the progress of the industry in building farming and agribusiness enterprises now contributing to thousands of jobs and new ag industry creation for the state of Florida.