Maitland, FL – The Florida Tomato Committee (FTC) will hold a virtual meeting on Wednesday, May 10, for tomato producers to nominate fellow growers or themselves to serve on the committee for a two-year term, from September 2023 to September 2025.
The FTC is a federal marketing order that regulates the handling of Florida tomatoes and supports the industry through research and promotion efforts. The committee oversees production in two districts covering Central and South Florida:
District 1 Counties
Broward, Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Lee, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Palm Beach
District 2 Counties
Brevard, DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Manatee, Martin, Okeechobee, Osceola, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, St. Lucie
Each district will have five open member positions and five open alternate positions for a total of 10 members and 10 alternates on the full committee. Anyone who has grown tomatoes in a commercial capacity or who is an officer of a corporate producer in either of the FTC districts, during the 2022-23 season, will be eligible to nominate and be nominated.
“I encourage any and all growers in Central and South Florida, no matter how small their operations, to consider volunteering to serve on the committee, which in turns serves to support the state’s tomato industry,” said FTC Manager, Michael Schadler. “We are looking for candidates who can bring a fresh perspective on how the FTC can better help the Florida tomato industry to thrive.”
Growers who are interested in participating or who have questions about the nomination process should contact the Florida Tomato Committee office at 407-660-1949 or info@FloridaTomatoes.org to learn more details.