By Frank Giles
The Florida Ag Expo (FAE) kicked off its educational program with a welcome from Rob Gilbert, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) dean of research and interim head.
Gilbert said the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC), where the Expo is held, embodies the university’s commitment toward investing in technological advancements. GCREC has been selected to be home to the Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture. The center will be the first of its kind in the United States and focus on specialty crop production.
“The AI center is a major undertaking. You can’t just dream up the nation’s leading lab, putting AI to work for farmers overnight,” Gilbert said. “But, thanks to the strong leadership of Jack Rechcigl (GCREC director) and Nathan Boyd (GCREC assistant director), the center is speeding toward reality.”
Buy Local in Action
Tommy Ward, executive director of 4Roots Farm, gave a presentation on how 4R Restaurant Group founder John Rivers established a reverse demand program to source locally grown produce for the group’s restaurants and partners.
Before the program began, the restaurant group was sourcing 86% of its produce from outside of Florida. Now, after partnering with more than 50 local farms, the group is sourcing 79% of its produce from within the state while helping growers increase demand.
As a not-for-profit organization, 4Roots asks participating growers for a quarter or dime per case to help those less fortunate. More importantly, growers donate excess produce to 4Roots to feed hungry people. Those donations have resulted in 2.3 million meals served and 1.5 million pounds of excess produce rescued. 4Roots partners include Feeding Florida, AdventHealth, Orlando Health and KPMG.
Ward also provided details on the 4Roots Farm being constructed near downtown Orlando. The farm will grow fresh produce and serve as a venue to educate young people about local food systems and regenerative agriculture.
Special Session
Tripp Hunter, government affairs manager for the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA), provided an update on a special session he was attending in Tallahassee. One important agricultural bill being considered is hurricane relief for Idalia. While the measure won’t be beneficial for past storms, Hunter said it will kick in for this season’s storm and ones in the future. It will be the first program of its kind in the country.
“What this program will focus on is infrastructure relief. It will establish a program through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services with zero to very low-interest rate loans up to $500,000,” Hunter said. “Specific to Idalia and timber, it is going to provide 75% cost-share up to $250,000 for land prep, replant and all of the above needed to get those young trees back in the ground. It also provides some tax relief (for rebuilding materials).”
Emerging Leaders Speak
The general session ended with a panel discussion featuring alumni from the FFVA’s Emerging Leader Development Program. The panel included Michael Hill, H&A Farms; Dustin Grooms, Fancy Farms; Jason Chandler, Grimmway Farms; and Marshal Sewell, Mind Your Melon.
The group covered a wide range of topics, including what they learned from the leadership program and why it is important that young people in agriculture step up to serve in leadership positions.
“Each of us are in a little bit different industry but all are still in the produce business. Every one of us are active participants in management and navigating the industry, whether it be labor or trade or mental health,” Chandler said. “I think it’s good to get a group of folks together where you can just have a real conversation with growers and folks here in the room.”