If you believe that well-known adage that a picture speaks a thousand words, this edition of Central Florida Ag News speaks volumes.
This past month was jam-packed with events from around Central Florida, including the Polk County Cattlemen’s Association Trade Show & Ranch Rodeo, the Florida State Fair, the Florida Strawberry Festival, Agri-Fest, Food Check-out Week, and the Highlands County Cattlewomen’s Run the Ranch 5K in Sebring. Thanks to the Polk County Farm Bureau, our photographers, and our community partners, we were able to bring you highlights from these events in this edition.
You’ll often hear us say that the Youth in Ag edition is our favorite, and that’s no exaggeration. We believe our youth hold the key to the future of the Florida ag industry, and we couldn’t feel more confident in their ambition, drive, and competence. But that’s not all this edition celebrates.
This edition celebrates the people who are shaping our youth and ushering in the future:
- The teachers who put in extra hours outside the classroom so they can see their students excel and compete
- The companies both big and small that sponsor the very events where these students thrive
- The parents who collapse into bed at the end of the day with their shoes still on, exhausted after helping their young ranchers practice one last time before the fair
- The mentors who stay in the shadows and watch with tears in their eyes as the future gets exponentially brighter
- fThe 4-H program leaders and Polk County FFA chapter advisors who make sure ag stays at the forefront of the education curriculum
- The Polk County Farm Bureau, which brings the community together and provides an unconditional support system for youth.
They say it takes a village to raise a child, and we’re here to celebrate that village.
Thanks for reading.
