2000s: Progress and Professionalism

The 2000s:  Progress and Professionalism

A Pillar of the Economy

Tourism was curtailed following the attacks on the Twin Towers in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2001. The state’s agriculture industry played a role in stabilizing the state’s economy. As President Carl B. Loop, Jr. explained it, “Agriculture has been the most adaptable contributor to Florida’s economy. Food is essential to life.  So agriculture doesn’t get the big up-and-down swings experienced by other segments (of the economy).” In 2009, UF-IFAS economists would peg the annual impact of agriculture, natural resources and related industries on the Florida economy in excess of $100 billion.

Everglades Restoration and Water Issues

In 2000, Congress passed the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). Florida Farm Bureau stationed an assistant director of Government and Community Affairs in South Florida to monitor the development and implementation of the plan and to represent Farm Bureau members. Later in the decade another specialist would be hired to work with and monitor activities of the Southwest Florida and St. Johns River water management districts.

Pregnant Pigs Enshrined in Florida’s Constitution

In 2002, a coalition of animal rights activists used the state’s ballot initiative process to place on the November ballot a constitutional amendment banning the practice of housing pregnant sows in gestation crates. While proponents of the amendment spent heavily promoting it, production agriculture invested almost no funds in the campaign against it. Although Florida Farm Bureau mounted a vocal media outreach campaign opposing it, Florida voters approved the amendment by a margin of 55-45 percent. Steve Koppernal, vice president and founder of the Animal Industry Foundation, later commented that “with the exception of Farm Bureau, animal agriculture sat on its hands.” In 2006, Florida voters approved another amendment requiring future proposed amendments be approved by 60 percent of the voters in order to pass. Later in the decade animal rights groups would mount similar, successful campaigns in Arizona, Colorado and California.

Ag Lands and Practices Act

The Florida Legislature in 2003 passed the Florida Agricultural Lands and Practices Act without opposition. Florida Farm Bureau, which had long sought to prohibit local and county governments from imposing regulations when state and federal regulations were already in place, earnestly lobbied for the measure and spent much of the rest of the decade working to see that the act was enforced. Other Farm Bureau-backed legislation passed during the decade included a sales tax exemption for electricity used on farms and measures streamlining the process for permit extensions and comprehensive plan reviews. During every session of the Legislature, FFBF warded off attacks on its key “watchdog issues,” which included the UF/IFAS and Florida Department of Agriculture budgets, agriculture’s sales tax exemptions and the Greenbelt property tax classification.

Tobacco Buy-out

Content is forthcoming.

Promoting Public Awareness of Agriculture

In 2002, Florida Farm Bureau and the Florida Department of Agriculture mounted a joint campaign aimed at increasing public awareness of agriculture in this highly urbanized state. A scientific survey conducted in 2008 indicated 1/3 of the adult population in the state recalled having heard or seen the campaign message, “Safe, Affordable and Abundant: Food for Thought, From Florida’s Farmers.” The mass media component of the campaign employed paid PSAs on statewide cable television, public broadcast and commercial radio advertising, radio networks, RFD-TV programming, print ads and our own Farm Bureau media. In 2009, for example, announcements ran during two weeks in March on 108 radio stations in 112 markets, coinciding with the legislative session and leading up to Farm Bureau Day in Tallahassee, reaching roughly 74 percent of the available audience with a frequency of 3.2 repetitions per listener. Another radio flight ran on PBS stations in the state capital in morning and afternoon news blocks to increase awareness of Florida’s agriculture industry among elected officials, policy makers and opinion leaders.

CARES Program

Florida Farm Bureau’s CARES program, the County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship, began in 2001 in conjunction with the Suwannee River Partnership. Its purpose: to recognize agricultural producers who voluntarily adopt and implement Best Management Practices. By 2009, CARES initiatives had been developed in other areas of the state including the Santa Fe, Indian River, Okeechobee and Tampa Bay regions. CARES brings agricultural associations, public agencies, institutions and farmers together to increase environmental awareness. Public recognition of producers under the CARES program demonstrates to the public that the agriculture industry is actively involved in utilizing sound environmental management.

2004 brings Back-to-Back Hurricanes

In 2004, five named storms struck Florida in quick succession during one of the deadliest and most costly Atlantic hurricane seasons on record. Tropical Storm Bonnie strengthened over the Gulf of Mexico, then turned northeast and made landfall near Apalachicola with 45 mph winds, causing flooding and minor damage. Then followed in quick succession Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne. It was the only time in recorded history that four hurricanes affected Florida in one season. On Aug. 13, Charley made landfall west of Fort Myers then swept Punta Gorda with 145 mph winds, swept across central Florida and exiting the state near Daytona Beach. On Sept. 5, Hurricane Frances made landfall on the east coast of Florida with 105 mph winds, weakened into a tropical storm and emerged over the Gulf of Mexico, then making its second landfall near St. Marks, Fla. Hurricane Ivan, a Category Five storm, made landfall near Gulf Shores, Ala. on September 16 and caused damage in the Pensacola area.

Commissioner of Agriculture Charles Bronson called the combined devastation resulting from the storms “unprecedented” and mounted a campaign to assure customers around the nation that Florida agriculture was “Coming Back Strong” and would have quality products available for winter markets.

While Florida Farm Bureau Insurance companies personnel worked to settle claims and Farm Bureau volunteers assisted their neighbors, the Federation worked with state and federal agencies and elected officials to get relief for producers. At a September 24 meeting in Bartow that included Gov. Jeb Bush, Commissioner of Agriculture Charles Bronson and U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman announced a major package of federal disaster assistance would be available for Florida agricultural producers. In 2005, the Insurance companies became the first in the state to have settled all of its hurricane claims.

Change at the helm

In the summer of 2006 after 23 years as president, Carl B. Loop Jr., announced that he would not be seeking re-election to the post. Loop led the organization through some of the most tumultuous times and through immense change and growth.

In October John L. Hoblick was elected president. After his election Hoblick embarked on a series of “President’s Listening Sessions.” He visited all eight field districts in the state, meeting with county leaders to hear their concerns. Hoblick emphasized a renewed commitment by the Federation to the organization’s grassroots.  In 2008 he announced a two-year initiative titled “Strong Family Farms – Strong Florida.” This program focuses on family farms and rural communities.

Protecting UF/IFAS Budget

During the decade, Florida Farm Bureau found itself stepping up during every session of the Florida legislature to defend the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences against sharp budget cuts. IFAS, the research and teaching arm of the state’s largest Land Grant institution, the University of Florida, consists of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, research and Education Centers, Extension (including county Extension offices) academic departments and IFAS International Programs. It is a federal/state partnership that functions as the research and development arm of Florida agriculture. In 2008, Florida Farm Bureau and its president, John L. Hoblick, were tapped to lead the industry in a successful effort to defeat lawmakers’ attempts to impose cuts in the IFAS budget that were disproportional to cuts to other parts of the University of Florida.

Renewed focus on education

Florida Farm Bureau partnered with our Commissioner of Agriculture and the Florida Department of Education, lending financial and organizational support to the Agri-science Education Leadership program that moves a select group of agriscience teachers through a course of ag tours and leadership development activities encompassing the entire state. By the end of the decade, Florida Farm Bureau was administering an annual state grant that helped fund travel and educational materials.

Having been instrumental in passing the legislation that established the agricultural auto license tag (“Ag Tag”) in the 1990s, Florida Farm Bureau and its members continued to support the efforts of Ag in the Classroom, Inc. which works to incorporate agricultural topics into school curricula. Florida Farm Bureau staff members served on and chaired the Florida Ag in the Classroom, Inc. board of directors.  In 2009 more than 1,300 volunteers read to 26,000 students during Ag Literacy Day in the schools and hundreds of members, including members of the State Women’s Leadership Committee, attended the state Ag in the Classroom seminar.

In 2009, FFB was awarded a $300,000 grant by Workforce Florida, Inc. (WFI), formerly the Florida Department of Labor, to establish the Employ Florida Banner Center for Agriscience. The Center’s purpose was to evaluate and develop high school curriculum to meet the workforce needs of Florida’s agriculture industry by preparing students for the jobs that are available in modern agriscience and conduct “Train the trainer” sessions on the usage of these materials for each school district offering the programs. FFB housed and administered the Center, coordinating efforts of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Department of Education, Florida FFA Association and the University of Florida. The Center established curriculum committees comprised of members of FFB’s 16 industry advisory committees, teachers, University of Florida teacher educators, the Florida Department of Agriculture and FFA staff, to review the curriculum frameworks for 2010-2011 and develop curriculum, including electronic lesson plans. Industry certification was the ultimate goal. Employers in the agriscience industry must have confidence that entry-level employees have the knowledge and skills to succeed. Florida Farm Bureau planned to develop certification and specialization designations based on the work of the Banner Center.

Technology use changes and expands

Florida Farm Bureau was at the forefront of the advent of the Internet: with an organization website in the mid-1990s. The Web site, www.floridafarmbureau.org, has gone through three redesigns and continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of the membership.

Technology plays an important role in grassroots activism with the FBACT program. Members of FBACT receive legislative updates and “FBACT Alerts” via email. In addition they periodically receive Agricultural Policy Bulletins on important issues that will affect agriculture. Each “FBACT Alert” includes a link to the website.

By 2009, there were more than 3,000 members on the database.

Activism on National Policy

In 2006 the national immigration debate was reaching a fever pitch when Florida Farm Bureau decided to launch a grassroots message campaign. Farm Bureau members need access to a legal, guest workforce. The need for comprehensive immigration reform needed to be communicated by Farm Bureau members to other members, Congress and the general public. The overall goal was to raise awareness among members of Congress of the issue of comprehensive immigration reform. The “Empty Bag Campaign” focused on having members sign paper grocery bags that had already been affixed with large stickers bearing the message: “Border security and enforcement is vital to our national security. A safe, affordable and abundant food supply is too! Support comprehensive immigration reform providing legal guest workers to harvest our crops or this bag may remain empty! Don’t leave Floridians holding the bag!”

Nearly 4,000 of these bags were signed by constituents and delivered to members of Congress or congressional offices.

Other campaigns followed

In 2008 the National Affairs Coordinator didn’t want Congress to forget that it had again failed to act on reform measures. The “Don’t Tie Our Hands” campaign was launched. This campaign had Florida Farm Bureau members signing blue slips of paper that had a piece of twine tied to them. The initiative culminated during the 2008 Field to the Hill trip when over 75 members marched on the Capitol with their hands bound, symbolizing the results of not having comprehensive immigration reform.

With the decade coming to a close, climate change became a target for Congressional action. “Don’t CAP Our Future” was a grassroots campaign involving Farm Bureau members from across the nation.

Florida Farm Bureau is encouraging all Farm Bureau members in the state to join together in a unified request to federal lawmakers: Don’t Cap Our Future. The appeal was directed to members of Congress who were addressing restrictive climate change legislation that could hurt agriculture, consumers and the national economy. Playing off the cap-and-trade climate change bills in the House and Senate, Farm Bureau is encouraging members to participate in the campaign by signing an unused farm cap, including a message sticker that reads, “Don't CAP Our Future” and dropping off the farm cap at one of the district offices of their U.S. Senators. Florida Farm Bureau also collected signed caps and presented them at Senate offices.