Many accomplishments, much work ahead ...

By Barbara Wunder, FFVA communications manager

The past year has been one of progress and optimism for growers of fruits, vegetables and other specialty crops, but it also included a fair share of setbacks. On the positive side, growers were finally able to join the cast of players in the drama of crafting a new Farm Bill.

The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance put aside commodity-based priorities and made its presence known on Capitol Hill. Co-chaired by FFVA President Mike Stuart, the alliance laid out a battle plan early on and met with senators and representatives. The result was a House version that for the first time began to address the industry’s needs.

The Spring Regulatory Tour hosted 20 participants who gained first-hand knowledge about the pressures Florida growers face.

Although the Senate has not yet hammered out its version of the legislation that will map out farm policy for the next five years, the House in July included mandatory funding in its version that would address priorities such as nutrition programs, expanded trade and marketing, state competitiveness projects – once known as block grants, conservation, and research into combating pests and disease.

No matter what the outcome of farm legislation, specialty crop producers don’t want a long-term extension of the current farm programs. “That would be a serious setback for specialty crop producers in Florida and throughout the country,” Stuart said.  Regardless, the unified voice of specialty crops has made an important impression and will continue to do so.

FOOD SAFETY ON THE FRONT BURNER

Food safety also topped the list of major issues this year. After a serious E. coli outbreak involving California spinach in 2006, FFVA, the Florida Vegetable Exchange, the Florida Tomato Exchange and other organizations sprang into action, taking steps to form mandatory food safety standards specific to products such as tomatoes and leafy greens. In May, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said it would institute food safety regulations governing all aspects of tomato production in Florida. By the end of the year, visits by inspectors were being scheduled. The program was part of a general agriculture bill passed by the Florida Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Charlie Crist.

The Florida Vegetable Exchange adopted its “Commodity Specific Food Safety Guidelines for the Production of Lettuce and Leafy Greens,” which outlines Good Agricultural Practices and Best Management Practices for the production of lettuce and other leafy greens originating from the Everglades Agriculture Area.

On the legislative front, state lawmakers passed HB 1199, which extends the electricity sales tax exemption to include electricity used indirectly on Florida farms for production and processing of agricultural products.

Agriculture also made strides during Florida’s legislative session. Lawmakers passed HB 1199, which extends the electricity sales tax exemption to include electricity used indirectly on Florida farms for production and processing of agricultural products. Also during the session, FFVA helped fend off some bills that would have harmed Florida growers. Those included a measure that would have denied agricultural classification and assessment for growers who hired unauthorized farmworkers, and one that would have changed provisions governing the classification of ag lands for tax purposes and criteria for Greenbelt designation.

“All in all, this was a good session for agriculture,” said Butch Calhoun, FFVA’s director of Government Affairs. “We were able to pass more than half of the bills we supported, and we defeated all of the bills that we opposed.  Nothing really bad passed, so that by itself is a win.”

The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Research & Education Foundation has a new name and logo. The organization is now known as the Florida Specialty Crop Foundation.

The year brought changes for the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Research & Education Foundation, with a new name and logo. The organization is now known as the Florida Specialty Crop Foundation. It also hired an executive director, industry leader Mike Carlton, and instituted a scholarship named for industry veteran George F. Sorn that benefits deserving high school graduates who are children of workers in the state’s specialty crop industry. 

In March, the Spring Regulatory Tour hosted 20 participants who were able to learn first-hand the pressures Florida growers face in producing a healthy crop. The event, now in its 18th year, is valuable because it opens the door for conversation and relationship-building, says Dan Botts, director of FFVA’s Environmental and Pest Management Division.

A record number of people attended FFVA's Agricultural Labor Relations Forum in September.

On the labor front, a record 260 attendees participated in the Florida Specialty Crop Foundation’s annual Agricultural Labor Relations Forum in September to get the latest information on the AgJOBS bill, immigration reform, workers’ compensation issues, wage and hour laws, and Worker Protection Standard practices. Organizers attributed the heavier-than-usual attendance to interest in the no-match rule issued by the Department of Homeland Security in late August. A federal judge in California has ruled to extend a temporary ban on the rule, saying there would be “irreparable harm” to the groups that filed suit, which include the American Civil Liberties Union and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In the meantime, the administration has been working on regulatory and administrative changes to the H-2A temporary worker program.

In another positive development for Florida growers, FFVA’s Marketing Division instituted a pilot program in January that offered access to the services of C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., one of the world’s largest transportation, logistics and sourcing companies. In June, the FFVA Transportation Program extended to all producer members. “This has been very popular with our members in that it allows them priority access to a worldwide transportation services company,” said FFVA Marketing Director Danny Raulerson.

Also on the marketing front, the Florida Sweet Corn Exchange upheld for the first time a minimum price level on sweet corn shipped during the spring harvest season. “The result of this was setting a record on price received during a record-high volume of corn shipped during a seven-week period,” said Raulerson.

IMMIGRATION HEADS LIST OF CHALLENGES

Despite strides made during the year, important challenges remain. Immigration continues to be a hot button issue for growers of specialty crops. FFVA’s Labor Division brought in a record number of legal workers to Florida fields through the H-2A guest worker program. Although comprehensive immigration reform died in the Senate this year, AgJOBS may survive.

Samples of Florida citrus to be shipped to non-citrus producing states are now inspected at the packinghouse to determine the fruit is disease free.

Citrus growers were dealt a blow in 2007 when USDA’s Animal Plant Health and Inspection Service announced that because of the threat of citrus canker, citrus grown in Florida could not be shipped to other citrus-producing states. In a more positive move, APHIS later amended its citrus canker regulations to eliminate a requirement for pre-harvest grove inspections on all citrus moving to other eligible states. It instead required samples to be inspected at the packinghouse to determine that the fruit is disease-free.

Water issues also had a high profile during 2007. A record drought brought down the level of Lake Okeechobee, causing serious concern among producers regarding next year’s crops. And because of increasing public demand for water in Hillsborough and Pasco counties and growing concerns about groundwater availability, the Southwest Florida Water Management District expanded the Northern Tampa Bay Water Use Caution Area, which requires agricultural producers to install new meters.

FFVA wishes industry members and all others a very happy holiday season and much success in 2008. The association will continue to work with lawmakers, regulators and others to help producers to be able to grow and market their crops.

If you are affiliated with Florida agriculture and would like to find out more about the different membership options FFVA offers, please contact the Membership and Marketing Division at (321) 214-5200 or click here to send an e-mail.