Publisher’s Letter

Each year, the Legislative session is filled with high hopes that are met by 160 pairs of scrutinizing eyes in bid to make it to the final budget. The 2024 State Legislative Session yielded some pretty big wins for Florida agriculture within the $117 billion budget. Perhaps most notably, the budget includes $47 million in […]

March marks a special time around here for a couple of reasons.  First, who doesn’t love the Youth in Ag edition of Central Florida Ag News? Every time we get knee-deep in the production of this edition, we’re reminded of what amazing kids we have here in Polk and adjoining areas. We would never be

You aren’t known to be fans of jumping through hoops and wading through red tape. Unfortunately, a new law calling for just that is going largely unnoticed and the penalties can be stiff to say the least. That’s exactly why it’s important to get the word out and read up on the Corporate Transparency Act

Happy new year from all of us here at Central Florida Ag News! Between elections and legislation, this year will likely deal its fair share of twists and turns, but I remain hopeful because I know the people in Florida ag. They’re adaptive and resilient. Essentially, they are survivors. When Florida Ag Commissioner Wilton Simpson

In the news industry, you learn to rein in your excitement when you first hear exciting stories that seem too good to be true. It’s less of a defense mechanism and more of a litmus test for our coverage. But I have to admit that this week, when reports emerged of a promising new development

Hope is a funny thing. Most of the time, it is the driving force that keeps people going. But when struggle has become the norm, it’s a terrifying concept to commit to.  Last month, right after we put the October edition of Central Florida Ag News to bed, something happened that could change the outlook

There’s always a bit of buzz that comes with the October edition of Central Florida Ag News. The air is full of possibility as citrus growers await the USDA’s official season forecast and the announcement of the Polk County Farm Bureau Ag Program of the Year and Teacher of the Year is made. We always

Whew! It seems like just yesterday that Floridians were picking up the pieces after Hurricanes Ian and Nicole, and now, just as the 2023 Hurricane Season starts to ramp up, our neighbors in the northern portion of the state fielded a blow from Hurricane Idalia. While towns in sparsely populated Taylor, Dixie, and Levy counties

This is one of my favorite editions of Central Florida Ag News, though you may notice that I say that about a lot of them. To be honest, I just can’t pick a favorite. Agritourism, sometimes referred to as agri-tainment, is the marriage of Florida’s top two industries — tourism and agriculture. The industry thrives

No matter how humble you are, sometimes it’s necessary to recognize milestones and thepeople who have helped in achieving them. This edition marks the 13th anniversary of Central Florida Ag News. It seems like just yesterday that our managing editor at the time, Celeste Walls, and I were working with Bill Braswell and Sheriff Grady