Florida Ag Hall of Fame Banquet Tickets on Sale

Clint ThompsonFlorida

Tickets are on sale for the 45th annual Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame banquet, scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 11. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will honor four inductees who contributed to the success and sustainability of Florida agriculture.

This year’s inductees include Cary and Marcia Lightsey, Madeline Mellinger and Jim Strickland.

The banquet celebrates the accomplishments of industry leaders who have served in research, education and business. It will be held at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. The reception begins at 6 p.m., with the dinner and program following at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $85 per person, and tables of eight are available. Mentor sponsorship tickets, which allow youth in agriculture to attend the event at no cost and meet industry leaders, are also available. Tickets can be purchased online at floridaaghalloffame2025.eventbrite.com. Online ticket sales will close Feb. 4.

“It is exciting to come together to recognize four outstanding honorees who have made significant and lasting contributions to Florida agriculture,” said Ray Hodge, president of the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Foundation. “Cary and Marcia Lightsey, Madeline Mellinger, and Jim Strickland have each demonstrated a lifetime of leadership, dedication, and innovation.”

2025 Inductees

Cary and Marcia Lightsey

Cary Lightsey is a sixth-generation Florida cattle rancher who married his high school sweetheart, Marcia, in 1973. They expanded and diversified the operations and became leaders in the conservation arena. The Lightseys strongly believe in landowners participating in strategies that benefit all of society, committing 80% of their land to conservation easements. The Lightseys work the ranches with their children and grandchildren, passing their legacies to the seventh and eighth generations of Florida cattle ranchers.

Madeline Mellinger

Madeline Mellinger is an innovator in the field of integrated pest management and sustainable systems production. She has dedicated more than 50 years to Florida agriculture. Mellinger founded Glades Crop Care, Inc., in 1972 and remains its CEO today. She has served as an advisor to the U.S. Congress, National Academy of Sciences, the Environmental Protection Agency, the federal and state Extension Service and various universities.

Jim Strickland

James Arthur “Jim” Strickland, Sr., has six decades of ranching experience. Strickland grew up working with his father along the west coast of Florida. Strickland took over the family cattle operations at the age of 17, primarily leasing land for cattle. He and his family own Strickland Ranch and Lost Girl Prairie Ranch. Strickland is also the managing partner of Big Red Cattle Company and Blackbeard’s Ranch. He serves as co-chair of the Florida Climate Smart Agriculture Work Group, which focuses on addressing climate change impacts via agricultural land conservation and furthering research on the ecosystem services provided by agricultural land. Strickland is a past president of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association and past chairman of the Florida Cattlemen’s Foundation.

Visit FloridaAgHallofFame.org for additional information about the 2025 Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame honorees and previous inductees. Nominations for 2026 are currently being accepted, and forms can be found on the Hall of Fame website.

Source: Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame