IN THIS (AUGUST 2012) EDITION of Central Florida Ag News, we’ve given some special attention to small farms and those commodities that can really help the “little guy” get ahead in a big world. Our cover story presents two hot up-and-coming crops in Florida agriculture; and our AgriLiving feature presents an interesting trend in bringing agriculture into your own backyard. But beyond the alternative crops, small farms, and homegrown operations, we have a taste of the global perspective as well.
In his article this month on Page 14 (of the print issue), Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam emphasizes the importance of our international trade relations for all Florida commodities, including our small farms, which collectively is not a very small industry, I might add. On Page 27, we’ve rolled out a new department page called “Florida Around the World.” On this page, you’ll be able to read the diverse and unique ways that Florida agriculture is having a significant impact on our international neighbors. This month, we tell Florida State Chef Justin Timineri’s story of cooking Florida seafood at the 2012 Olympic Games in London!
I’d also like to take a moment to welcome a new contributor to the pages of CFAN: Jack Payne, the senior vice president for Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Florida. He’ll be writing exclusive articles for CFAN on cutting-edge research that’s being conducted in order to continually give Florida agriculture the upper hand in the global marketplace. His article on “Packing a Hefty Economic Punch” with AgriResearch can be found on Page 33.
This edition is packed with great stories, amazing photography, and useful information. I hope you enjoy it, and please drop me a line if you have any comments, feedback, or questions. As always, I would love to hear from you,
and thanks for reading Central Florida Ag News!
CREDIT
column by CELESTE JO WALLS
Celeste Jo Walls is managing editor of Central Florida Ag News. She may be reached by e-mail at celeste.walls@centralfloridamediagroup.com or by postal mail at P.O. Box 1221, Winter Haven, FL 33882.
