FOUNDATION GETS NEW NAME, LAUNCHES THE GEORGE F. SORN SCHOLARSHIP

The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Research & Education Foundation has a new name and a new look, unveiled this month by Executive Director Mike Carlton. The organization is now known as the Florida Specialty Crop Foundation.

“Our mission is to be the leading organization for specialty crop research, education and philanthropy programs in Florida,” he said. “The new name clearly and succinctly focuses on the scope of the foundation’s mission and membership.”

The changes were prompted by the board of directors’ goal of expanding the foundation’s role in research, education and philanthropic support of the farm worker community, said Tony DiMare, board chairman. “Continuing to build the foundation will help all facets of the specialty crop industry meet the challenges we face,” he added. The organization unveiled its logo, and it soon will launch a Web site at www.floridaspecialtycropfoundation.org.

Mike Carlton, executive director of the newly-named Florida Specialty Crop Foundation, says the new name focuses on the scoope of the foundation's mission and membership.

The foundation also has instituted a new 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. 

The George F. Sorn Scholarship’s first recipient is Durant High School honors graduate Nanci Palacios, who plans to attend Hillsborough Community College in the fall. The Plant City teen finished her high school career with a 5.0 grade point average and an impressive roster of honors and community service. She plans to eventually attend the University of South Florida to pursue a medical career.

“The selection committee was clearly impressed with Nanci’s accomplishments and student leadership,” Carlton said. “This is a young lady whose determination will serve her well in whatever she chooses to pursue.”

Palacios was a member of the National Honor Society, the Student Advisory Committee and Beta Club, and she served as president of the Spanish National Honor Society.

In addition to outstanding grades, Palacios’ record of volunteer service is extensive. She participated in the Relay for Life and Cystic Fibrosis benefit walks, tutored other students and assisted at school migrant parent meetings.

In the essay that applicants were required to submit, Pelacios wrote about the challenges her family has faced. When they’re not in school, she and her two younger sisters and younger brother work with their parents harvesting a variety of crops.

“At the same time that we have to go to work with our parents, we also have to meet everyone’s expectations at school, together with language barriers that sometimes try to stop us. It’s up to us to overcome those barriers,” she wrote. “I’ll be the first person to graduate in my family. Not only that, I will be graduating with honors. I believe I have worked very hard to achieve and prove to everyone that underestimated me for being a girl or simply for being a migrant student that I, too, can get involved in different school activities and clubs.”

SCHOLARSHIP NAME REFLECTS SORN’S WORK AND DEDICATION

The Florida Specialty Crop F oundation has instituted a new scholarship named for industry veteran George F. Sorn, shown here helping to select designs for this year's Christmas card campaign for the Redlands Christian Migrant Association.

The foundation chose to name the scholarship for Sorn because of his legacy of working to improve the education and quality of life for the children of Florida’s migrant farm workers, Carlton said. During Sorn’s 40-year career, the former FFVA vice president and general manager established himself as a leading authority on labor issues. He retired from FFVA in 1992.

“George Sorn is one of the most admired and respected people in agriculture in the state,” Carlton said. “The foundation considers it an honor to name this scholarship for him.”

Sorn’s hallmark during his tenure with FFVA was his ability to successfully negotiate tough labor issues. He won high praise from state and federal lawmakers and government officials for his negotiating skills and his straightforward approach to government relations. 

In his early days with FFVA, Sorn began a longtime relationship with Wendall Rollason, founder of the Redlands Christian Migrant Association. Child labor was a key issue. “It was clear to me that the worker groups and the growers could agree on the fact that the children needed to be cared for rather than being out in the fields,” he said. So Sorn joined Rollason in working to build RCMA centers that would provide quality day care services and educational opportunities for children of migrant farm workers. He still serves on the RCMA board of directors.

FOUNDATION FOCUSES ON PRESSING RESEARCH NEEDS

In addition to establishing the scholarship, the foundation is stepping up its research efforts with funding through a new annual giving campaign. “We intend to specifically address those issues that are most significant for research, including greening in citrus and food safety in lettuce and leafy greens,” Carlton said.

In recent years, the foundation has led a number of important initiatives involving research and education. It administered three federal/state block grants totaling almost $2.5 million for methyl bromide alternatives, food safety and specialty crop production.

The Florida Specialty Crop Foundation holds educational programs such as the annual Florida Agriculture Labor Forum (above) that benefit growers.

It also regularly holds educational programs to benefit producers of Florida’s specialty crops. The annual Florida Agriculture Labor Forum educates employers and employees on various labor laws and best practices in labor relations. The foundation’s periodic environmental seminars provide information and instruction on compliance with existing and proposed environmental regulations.

The foundation also has played a major role in fundraising to benefit the workers and their families. In 2004 after hurricanes Charley, Frances and Jeanne, it partnered with the Florida Department of Citrus and Florida Citrus Packers to raise money for hurricane relief, primarily for permanent worker housing. More than $200,000 was raised from retailers of fresh Florida citrus and distributed in conjunction with Catholic Charities and the Redlands Christian Migrant Association.