Publisher’s Letter

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

Let’s face it: Politics are always a mixed bag. There are always hot-button topics that prove difficult to navigate, but when the good outweighs the bad like it overwhelmingly did in this 2023 Florida Legislative session, I’d call that a win.  An estimated 1,700 bills were filed, only roughly 300 of which passed. Fortunately, the

I think it’s fair to say that most Florida growers and ranchers would be pleased with less red tape and fewer hoops to jump through for aid and assistance.  In fact, that’s part of what those in the industry are hoping a renewed Farm Bill would accomplish. Christian Spinosa talked about that with us for

The cattle industry has long been a key part of Florida’s economy. In fact, the state just recently celebrated its rich 500-year history with the 2022 Great Florida Cattle Drive. As the centuries have passed, the state has seen a lot of change, still cattle ranching remains an important part of the Florida heritage. Florida