THE HOLIDAY SEASON is a great time to thank and appreciate our industry families and members of our community. At the Polk County Farm Bureau, we appreciate the support of our 4,400-plus members and volunteers who make it possible for the PCFB to act as the eyes and ears for Polk’s diverse agriculture industry.
I’d like to recognize two outgoing PCFB board members who have given their time and talents to supporting and promoting the PCFB mission. Our special thanks to Scott Blackburn and Wes Donley for their service and contributions!
I also hope you will join me in welcoming Tommy Thayer of Thayer Citrus Nurseries and Christian Spinosa of Dudley Putnam, Inc. to your board of directors. Each of these individuals brings unique talents and a strong passion for agriculture to our efforts.
Current industry economic contribution data is critical if the PCFB is to continue to effectively represent our members and present an accurate snapshot of the agriculture industry’s role and impact in the community. With this in mind, the PCFB has commissioned the University of Florida Food and Resource Economics Department to perform an updated Polk Agriculture Economic Impact Study. The study is scheduled to be issued to PCFB in February 2015.
Partnering with CenterState Bank, the Dundee Citrus Growers Association, the Florida Farm Bureau, Ben Hill Griffin, Inc., and The Mosaic Company, the Polk County Farm Bureau will host a Polk Agriculture Economic Summit event on February 26, 2015, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lake Eva Banquet Hall in Haines City, where the results of the Polk Agriculture Economic Impact Study will be presented. Please mark your calendars for this significant industry event. Formal invitations will be forthcoming and all members and interested parties are invited to attend.
The help of our supporting industries and community partners is critical if we are to continue to educate citizens about the importance of agriculture to our economy and our community. Sponsorships from our industry partners are critical to these efforts. Sponsorship brochures with 2015 exposure opportunities for your business are now available for your consideration. Please call Carole McKenzie at (863) 533-0561, ext. 111, or email carolem@pcfb.org for more information.
Our 2015 schedule of events is in place. Please see the calendar on the home page of this website for this list of events and mark your calendars to attend where possible.
On behalf of the board of directors of the Polk County Farm Bureau, we wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!
CREDIT
column by KYLE R. STORY
Kyle R. Story is president of the Polk County Farm Bureau.
