Hello, members and friends.
Members enjoyed a productive Florida Farm Bureau Field to the Hill event in Washington, D.C. recently, meeting with officials to advocate for Farm Bureau policy priorities. Florida Farm Bureau leaders, county presidents, the Women’s Leadership Committee, and members of the Young Farmers & Ranchers Leadership Group engaged with policymakers and other leaders on important issues impacting Florida farms. Priority topics included the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, funding for farmers that experienced extreme crop loss from the February freeze and farm labor.
We held our Polk County Farm Bureau Legislative Luncheon earlier this month, where we heard an overview of Florida Farm Bureau’s legislative priorities throughout the 2026 regular session and had good dialog with members of our Polk Legislative Delegation. We are blessed in Polk agriculture to enjoy relationships with our delegation members that allow for an effective exchange of ideas. Our thanks to all who attended and participated in this annual event. Florida Farm Bureau will continue to bring updates as special sessions on the state budget, congressional redistricting, and property taxes evolve.
A special thanks to Legislative Luncheon sponsors, Central Florida Development Council, Farm Credit of Central Florida, and The Mosaic Company.
The Florida Farm Bureau Federation is now accepting applications for its Disaster Relief Fund. The fund was created to respond to Florida farmers and ranchers who have suffered significant agricultural losses or expenses as a result of hurricanes and other natural disasters. Farmers and ranchers wishing to apply should visit the Florida Farm Bureau website at https://floridafarmbureau.org/news/disaster-relief-fund-applications-now-open. Applications will be reviewed as they are received. Funding to individuals in need will be dependent on the funds available at that time. The relief fund is coordinated by the Florida Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee.
Finally, I want to encourage anyone reading this who is not a Farm Bureau member to consider joining today. Membership in the Florida Farm Bureau means that you are part of a growing community of families who support agriculture in our state. In addition to agriculture advocacy and networking opportunities, membership also provides many tangible benefits and is one of the most economical investments that you can make each year. Signing up is easy, simply visit https://www.floridafarmbureau.org and click the “Join Now” tab.
Sincerely,
Christian Spinosa
President