Northern Everglades farmers to receive accolades for environmental stewardship Oct. 8

Twenty farmers and ranchers will be honored on Oct. 8 for their environmental stewardship at the Okeechobee County Agri-Civic Center.

The owners of the agricultural operations will be recognized by Florida Farm Bureau’s County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship (CARES) program for their outstanding efforts in implementing Best Management Practices (BMPs).

Rep. Denise Grimsley will be hosting the event. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson and Florida Farm Bureau President John L. Hoblick will attend to help recognize the farmers.

CARES began in 1999 with the formation of the Suwannee River Partnership in North Florida. CARES and the Partnership were formed to address environmental concerns, and promote economically viable BMPs and conservation planning while recognizing farmers as stewards. The Northern Everglades CARES program works in conjunction with the University of Florida IFAS, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and South Florida Water Management District. This program also supports incentive based, voluntary programs instead of command and control regulation.

“We feel that it is important to recognize these 20 farmers for investing effort and money to implement practices that are environmentally friendly,” said Hoblick. “The CARES award shows that the methods these farms have adopted are sound and effective. Florida’s farmers and ranchers continue to demonstrate that they are producing safe, affordable and abundant food while being good stewards of the environment.”

The CARES recipients will be recognized in front of their peers at the Okeechobee County Agri-Civic Center on Thursday evening. Each will receive a plaque and a farm sign identifying them as a farmer who cares.

The event would not be possible without the dedicated assistance of the Okeechobee Agri-Council. This group of local farmers and ranchers helps prepare the meal and assists with event logistics.

The Florida Farm Bureau Federation is the state’s largest general agricultural association with about 140,000 member-families statewide. Headquartered in Gainesville, the Federation is an independent, non-profit agricultural organization and is not associated with any arm of the government. For more information on the CARES program, visit www.ThisFarmCARES.org

Northern Everglades CARES recipients:

• Pines Ranch
• Cornerstone Farms
• Ray Parker
• Karlson’s Ranch
• Raulerson & Sons
• Kennedy Farms – Platts Bluff
• Kennedy Farms – Lamb Island
• 101 Ranch
• Candler Ranch
• Four Winds Ranch
• High Horse Ranch
• Fair Bluff, LTD
• Coker Cattle
• Hook – R Ranch
• David Williams Ranch
• Raulerson Home Place
• Raulerson Lofton Place
• McArthur Farms Barn #3
• Fulford Dixie Ranch
• Fulford Micco Ranch