About Us

Mission

At Central Florida Ag News, we believe that your story deserves to be told. We are passionate about telling your story by bringing news to local communities across Central Florida, and bringing these stories to life. We are a dedicated news platform that provides coverage, updates, and engaging stories that celebrate Central Florida’s farmers, ranchers, and agribusiness professionals that maintain the pulse of our great state’s agriculture industry.

Central Florida is rich with agricultural heritage from citrus groves to cattle ranches. We strive to make sure that Florida’s incredible ag industry is represented through in-depth local content to inform and inspire generations of connected ag professionals.

No matter if you are a seasoned grower, industry veteran, or someone who simply appreciates Central Florida’s agriculture scene, Central Florida Ag News is your trusted source for the Sunshine State’s ag stories.

Our Team

Our team is driven by shared passion for agriculture and commitment to deliver informative content consistently. We consist of experienced farmers, journalists, and technical professionals. Each member brings unique expertise to the table to ensure that readers stay up to date on the latest trends in agriculture.

Our editorial team works to bring you high-quality features that celebrate Central Florida’s hard working farmers, ranchers, and ag professionals. Our team also actively connects with local members of the ag community to ensure our content remains relevant and impactful. We take pride in celebrating Central Florida’s ag community. We know that agriculture isn’t just an industry, it’s a way of life.

Nelson Kirkland, Founder

  • Founded Central Florida Ag News in 2010
  • Spent 24 years with the New York Times Regional Media Group
  • Previous Chairman of the board for the Red Cross of Polk and Highlands counties
  • Previous member of Board of Directors for the area’s Farm Bureau
  • Previous Chairman of Leadership Polk Class IV, graduated as Class One
  • Received Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Distinguished Leadership Alumni Award
  • Ten-time recipient of the New York Times Chairman’s Award
  • 10 Year Managing Partner of Kirkland Farms Commercial Blueberry Farm

Jess McDonald, Managing Editor
jessica@centralfloridamediagroup.com

  • BA Degree in Mass Communications from the University of South Florida
  • Copy editor with The Ledger for 15 years, followed by three years as a marketing copywriter and editor at a Fortune 500 company
  • Joined CFAN in 2019 as Client Content Editor and quickly assumed the role of Managing Editor
  • Plans and manages content for all CFAN publications
  • Passion for wordsmithing and working with writers to create targeted and tailored content

Tyler DiGiovine, Digital Director
tyler@centralfloridamediagroup.com

  • Attended Southeastern University while actively pursuing a career in marketing and digital design
  • AMVETS outstanding leadership reward recipient
  • 2017/2018 Boy’s State Delegate
  • Collective 4 years of Marketing and 2 years of website and content development experience
  • Joined CFAN in April of 2022 as a website developer

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