Page 36 - CFANnov13

VALENCIA from page 16
MORNING
WILDLIFE|

Another painting, Low-Hanging Fruit, also depicts a

bird widely known in Florida—a Wood Duck—alongside
citrus. Schulz used this painting as a departing ‘thank

you’ to those instrumental in Florida Chemical. The
company sold last year to Flotek, an international player

in the oil industry. Schulz explained that the term ‘low-
hanging fruit’ is an industry term that implies a venture or

enterprise will have big payoffs—essentially, he explained,
that while saying good-bye to the family business was

bittersweet, the painting shows that he is confident in

Schulz’s painting, Valencia

Morning, depicts an orange

grove with a White Ibis on the

wing—a familiar sight in Florida.

Flotek’s ability to take Florida Chemical to the next level.

Retiring from Florida Chemical has allowed Schulz to focus on his art and his next great ambition:
conservation. It’s no coincidence that when Schulz’s paintings depict agriculture they also include

wild animals. Mankind’s focus on agriculture and the plight of wildlife in that landscape has been a
recurring theme here in Florida. Looking back, one of Schulz’s favorite personal accomplishments

was illustrating “Under the Panther Moon,” a book by Florida Senator Rick Dantzler. Schulz
maintained he was happy to contribute to the collection of stories concerning Florida and its unique

set of environmental wonders and challenges.
GROVE
Looking forward, Schulz still has his eye on art and conservationism. By his own admission,
PATROL
he is painting with brushes and with bulldozers now. He has a few plans in the works concerning
parcels of land that would combine the wants of mankind with the beauty of wild things—just like

the citrus groves and wildlife in his paintings. In his mind, such art is one and the same, and it’s all

a labor of love. ag

UPDATE ON THE FOOD SAFETY MODERNIZATION ACT

THE FOOD SAFETY MODERNIZATION to estimates from the U.S. Centers for ACS remains at the
ACT (FSMA) was signed into law by Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), forefront in maintaining

President Obama on Jan. 4, 2011, but only 48 million people get sick, 128,000 are the desired results of
recently have the federal agencies assigned hospitalized, and 3,000 die each year as the the Global Food Safety

to enforce the law put real teeth into it. The result of foodborne diseases.
Initiative, and recently

anticipated storms of rules, regulations, The reach of the FSMA is extremely renewed its international
acronyms, and budget increase requests are broad, and growing (details can be found accreditation with BRC

in full force.
at www.fda.gov/FSMA). Examples include through an extensive
The impact of the fully implemented the U.S. Department of Agriculture AIB audit.
by BEN ADAMS, JR.

act obviously will be felt by everyone in digging in deeper to establish science- The federal goal
the food chain, from grower to consumer. based minimum standards in areas such is to insure the food

FDA’s 2014 budget request alone is $4.65 as: product labeling, preventive controls, you put on your family table or enjoy at
billion—a whopping 21+ percent increase increased inspection & compliance, soil your favorite restaurant is safe to eat. We
BIO: Ben Adams Jr. is an owner and president
over 2012/2013.
amendments, hygiene, water quality, can only hope that these well-intentioned of Adams Cold Storage LLC in Auburndale. He
has been directly involved in citrus production,
The purpose of the FSMA— a major production & harvesting, foreign vendor efforts do not become a new, out of control
overhaul to previous federal law— is to requirements, third party accreditation, and costly bureaucratic nightmare.
warehousing and distribution, as well as state
and community support, since 1980. His facility
ensure that the U.S. food supply is safe by recall response, packaging, temperature incorporates 200,000 square feet of multi-
shifting the focus from responding to food controls, food defense, and animal food. This column is sponsored by Adams Cold
temperature warehousing, with an extensive
contamination to preventing it. According
The list goes on.
Storage.
expansion plan on the horizon.

36 | CFAN
FloridaAgNews.com