Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services BOB CRAWFORD, Commissioner
Dear Friends of Florida Agriculture: It is my great pleasure to present the winners of the 2000 AgriculturalEnvironmental Leadership Awards. This award, now in its seventh year, highlights the environmentally innovative farming practices implemented by Florida’s growers and ranchers. The original environmentalists — the true stewards of our land — have always been our growers and ranchers who depend on the land to produce our food. The modern farmer produces quality food in unsurpassed quantities to meet the demands of our nation and the world; and they do this on less land than ever before. Today’s farmer is consistently pioneering ways to ensure a continuing supply of food without degrading the land and water that produced it. This program provides an overview of this year’s winners: Pacific Tomato Growers Ltd., of Palmetto, and Evans Properties Inc., of Vero Beach. The selection of these winners was made by an independent committee that included representatives from major agricultural groups, environmental groups and government agencies. Please join me in extending congratulations to this year’s winners. Sincerely,
BOB CRAWFORD Commissioner of Agriculture
Tomato harvesting at a Pacific Tomato Growers operation in Quincy.
Autumn in North Florida is the traditional beginning to Pacific Tomato Growers Ltd.’s tomato harvest. It’s the start of a year-round cycle that sees the company harvesting crops throughout the country — beginning in Quincy, and later moving to Palmetto, Ruskin and Fort Myers, and then on to Maryland, Virginia and California. While it produces a variety of fruits and vegetables such as watermelon, peppers, squash and citrus, Pacific Tomato Growers is best known for its fresh-market tomato production. With 15,000 acres in production across the country, Pacific Tomato’s growing, packing and shipping operation provides a continuous and steady supply of tomatoes year-round. “Certainly these days there’s much more emphasis on marketing and branding,” said Mac Carraway, chief financial officer. “However, that will only take you as far as the quality of the product that you put in the box. So we’ve always had an emphasis on quality appearance and taste for our customers. That drives everything.” To maintain this consistent flow of quality product from its nationwide operations, Pacific Tomato Growers takes a “whole farm” management approach. While it recognizes the need for Best Management Practices, or BMPs, on all its farms, the company knows that a “one size fits all” plan will not work for each operation. In Florida alone — from the rolling hills of the Panhandle to the flatwoods of south-central Florida — Pacific Tomato’s operations span four of the state’s five water
Gary Bethune, director of engineering for Pacific Tomato Growers, downloads irrigation data at a BMP testing site.
management districts. Since each operation faces different needs, concerns and governmental regulations, Pacific Tomato is working with regional water managers to establish site-specific BMPs, taking into consideration each location’s natural features, such as soils, topography and vegetation. “We feel that creating a constructive dialogue with the staff and managers at the Southwest Florida Water Management District has enabled us both to benefit and do a better job,” Carraway said. “We’re both looking — perhaps in a different way — for the same objective of the long-term maintenance of the resource. We need that in order to be an ongoing economically viable farm and farm product company. And it’s necessary from the standpoint of the district to make sure that the environment is protected for future generations of Floridians.” At the headwater of the Myakka River sits the Flatford Swamp. A large natural basin near a number of Manatee County farms, the swamp was beginning to show signs of stress. Due to an excess of water flowing into the swamp, trees were dying off at an alarming rate. The Southwest Florida Water Management District became concerned: if the Flatford Swamp is damaged, the delicate estuaries of Charlotte Harbor, at the other end of the Myakka River, could be affected. The water management district began examining ways of reducing water flow into Flatford Swamp. Understanding the need to maintain the health of the water body, Pacific Tomato Growers was the first to partner with the district.
Mac Carraway and Gary Bethune examine plans for the Pacific Tomato Growers surface water exchange project at the company’s Myakka City farm adjacent to the Flatford Swamp.
“Anytime you have a private/public partnership that works together to solve a problem or issue, the public always benefits,” said Ron Cohen, irrigation engineer with the Southwest Florida Water Management District. “The partnership that we have is the Agricultural Conservation Partnership Program, where Pacific Tomato Growers is working with three different best management practices to develop a toolbox for their sitespecific conditions to utilize to protect the resources.” The program involves experimenting with the BMPs on three production scale plots of 30 to 50 acres each, with the goal of conserving water and preventing runoff at Pacific Tomato’s Myakka City farm. The first, known as the Tailwater Recovery Seepage Interception System, uses perforated pipe to line the downhill end of the field, thus preventing seepage of groundwater past a set boundary. The water is then pumped to the field and reused. Another utilizes a fully enclosed subsurface seepage irrigation system in which heavy-duty drip tubing is completely buried. This conserves water by minimizing evaporation. The third field is irrigated by a conventional drip method using disposable drip tubing which applies directly to the root zone. This project allows for the first time a side-by-side comparison of these BMPs in a production setting. While these BMPs will reduce tailwater runoff entering the Flatford, there is still a concern about the excessive amount of water there. In another innovative public/private partnership —
the Surface Water Exchange Project — Pacific Tomato Growers is working with the water management district to remove excess surface water from the Flatford. By placing a withdrawal point within the swamp, Pacific Tomato can remove enough water to irrigate 500 acres of row crops. This will not only reduce substantially the amount of permitted ground water withdrawals, it will also relieve pressure on the stressed Flatford. “We are responsible for taking care of these assets because they represent our living,” Carraway said. “We have to have water. It makes no sense for us to waste water. We have to have soil conservation. It’s absolutely a necessity for us to have healthy sustainable crop land. My view is optimistic about agriculture and the care that it takes of its soil and water resources. I think it’s critical that Florida nourish its agricultural environment, and I think that Pacific Tomato Growers is going to be there in 25 years emphasizing quality and stewardship as part of our basic philosophy.”
Trucks equipped with an imaging laser and global positioning system map the location of each tree at the Scott Division of Evans Properties near Vero Beach.
In the past, a farmer who owned a 100-acre grove could care for it himself. He knew the soil and every tree in it. Today, thanks to technology, a farmer can still know and care for each tree — even in a grove covering thousands of acres. Today, “Precision Agriculture” allows growers to have more information about their land and their trees than ever thought possible. With the aid of computers and high-tech equipment, the growers at Evans Properties, Inc., can have at hand the age, productivity and origin of every tree in their 30,000 acres of citrus groves. “This technology gives you expanded ability to allow a good manager to operate on a much greater amount of acreage,” said Ron Edwards, president and chief executive officer of Evans Properties. “It allows you to see what changes over the years, keep all of the historical data for soil tests, foliar tests, and fertilizer programs.” Founded by J. Emmett Evans in 1951, Evans Properties, Inc., has groves in eight counties across Florida. Evans has distinguished itself as an environmentally conscious operation in many areas including innovation, water conservation, and wildlife protection. Technology has allowed Evans to see its operation in a new and exciting way. One of the most important decisions to be made when planting young citrus trees is selecting the rootstock. When a new grove is laid out, the soil is tested. Because the soil types in the South Florida
Evans Properties uses “tree see technology” in which an ultra-sonic or laser eye mounted to a tractor allows for precise application.
flatwoods may change every 50 to 100 feet, a machine that measures water-holding capacity is used to identify the different soils. A variety of citrus rootstocks can then be matched to the best soil type for optimum health and productivity. In addition to charting the location of the various soils, the data collected can help the manager determine nutrient amounts and irrigation plans. To get the most out of its citrus operation, trucks equipped with lasers and a global positioning system map the image and location of every tree. That information — including age, nursery of origin, rootstock, productivity, and nutrient applications — is stored in a computer database, giving the grove manager the tree’s extensive history. Remote electronic weather stations relay information to other locations, alerting the manager of favorable conditions for application of nutrients and pesticides. The amount of pesticides being used is greatly reduced due to ultra-low volume concentrate applicators. In addition, Evans uses “tree see technology.” An ultrasonic or laser eye mounted to a tractor enables a sprayer to deliver a precise amount of pesticide to each tree, or turn off an applicator when no tree is detected. This eliminates unnecessary and costly use of pesticides. “We found that in the average grove that saves maybe 25 percent of the chemical,” Edwards said. “That’s good business as well as good stewardship of the land. In most cases, I think that good stewardship and good business go hand in hand. There are not too many cases where it really conflicts. I don’t think it’s a
Tensiometers are used to monitor water levels for irrigation purposes at Evans’ Bluefield Grove near Okeechobee.
tradeoff that you have to make.” But for all the high-tech equipment used, Evans still relies on the hands-on approach when it comes to minimizing pesticide use and staying aware of the general health of the trees. Scouts will check leaves in the field for presence of pests and determine if and when pesticides need to be used. The scout will also collect a few young leaves and send them to a certified lab for leaf tissue analysis. The result of this test helps the manager decide when to apply fertilizer. Reservoirs have been built to conserve water for irrigation and freeze protection as well as to control the amount of discharge beyond the property. Using reservoirs to collect rainwater also reduces pumping from freshwater wells. The reservoirs use natural filtration to improve the quality of discharged water. The reservoirs are also stocked with fish to further clean the water. Sampled regularly by an authorized lab, water leaving the property is often cleaner than when it came in. In a move to further reduce water consumption, Evans has converted to microjets and drip irrigation throughout its operation. “Most all of our pump stations are metered so that you know how much you’ve put out,” Edwards said. “We run the water in small bursts where there are only a couple of hours of water run at a time, where you don’t run the water past the root zone. We use tensiometers and surface wells to indicate what the water levels are in the groves so that the irrigation is timed to just what the plant needs. You don’t over water, you don’t
under water. You’re conserving it in every way.” Attention to environmental guidelines is apparent in Evans’ maintenance area. Safety standards are rigorously followed in the machine shop. Containment areas enclosing the fuel tanks protect ground water. Residue removed from field equipment at special wash stations drains into holding tanks for safe disposal. The Evans family doesn’t just demonstrate good stewardship in the way they run their citrus operation. Showing a deep respect for the land, they have set aside nearly 300 acres of wildlife habitat at Bluefield Grove. This voluntary wildlife sanctuary was established expressly for the preservation of indigenous species. “Stewardship is a long-term process and objective of the whole system of how you manage the groves with both inputs, people, water, best management practices in general,” Edwards said. “So it’s good business to be a good steward of the land. You have to meld all these different pieces together of technology, management, and just good sense and old practical knowledge that’s always worked together to be competitive and stay in business. And I think going the extra mile, we try to always be practical and not just do something for show. And in the long-term I think it pays off.”
An Everglades Snail Kite at the Bluefield Grove.
1999
Two Rivers Ranch, Inc. • Thonotosassa Lykes Bros. Inc. • Okeechobee Suwannee Farms • O’Brien
1998
Longino Ranch • Arcadia V&W Farms • Avon Park
1997
Anclote River Ranch • Odessa
1996
Edward “Jack” Campbell • Homestead Citrus World, Inc. • Lake Wales Ekkwill Waterlife Resources • Gibsonton
1995
Schroeder Manatee Ranch • Bradenton Burt McKee • Tampa Davie Dairy, Inc. • Okeechobee O. F. Nelson and Sons Nursery • Apopka Bright Hour Ranch • Arcadia Deseret Ranches of Florida • St. Cloud Fulford Farms, Inc. • Monticello
1994
Rafter T Cattle Company • Avon Park A. Duda and Sons, Inc. • Oviedo Babcock Florida Company • Punta Gorda Gustafson’s Dairy Farm • Green Cove Springs Jon’s Nursery, Inc. • Eustis Adams Ranch, Inc. • Fort Pierce
Dear Friends of Florida Agriculture: It is my great pleasure to present the winners of the 2000 AgriculturalEnvironmental Leadership Awards. This award, now in its seventh year, highlights the environmentally innovative farming practices implemented by Florida’s growers and ranchers. The original environmentalists — the true stewards of our land — have always been our growers and ranchers who depend on the land to produce our food. The modern farmer produces quality food in unsurpassed quantities to meet the demands of our nation and the world; and they do this on less land than ever before. Today’s farmer is consistently pioneering ways to ensure a continuing supply of food without degrading the land and water that produced it. This program provides an overview of this year’s winners: Pacific Tomato Growers Ltd., of Palmetto, and Evans Properties Inc., of Vero Beach. The selection of these winners was made by an independent committee that included representatives from major agricultural groups, environmental groups and government agencies. Please join me in extending congratulations to this year’s winners. Sincerely,
BOB CRAWFORD Commissioner of Agriculture
Tomato harvesting at a Pacific Tomato Growers operation in Quincy.
Autumn in North Florida is the traditional beginning to Pacific Tomato Growers Ltd.’s tomato harvest. It’s the start of a year-round cycle that sees the company harvesting crops throughout the country — beginning in Quincy, and later moving to Palmetto, Ruskin and Fort Myers, and then on to Maryland, Virginia and California. While it produces a variety of fruits and vegetables such as watermelon, peppers, squash and citrus, Pacific Tomato Growers is best known for its fresh-market tomato production. With 15,000 acres in production across the country, Pacific Tomato’s growing, packing and shipping operation provides a continuous and steady supply of tomatoes year-round. “Certainly these days there’s much more emphasis on marketing and branding,” said Mac Carraway, chief financial officer. “However, that will only take you as far as the quality of the product that you put in the box. So we’ve always had an emphasis on quality appearance and taste for our customers. That drives everything.” To maintain this consistent flow of quality product from its nationwide operations, Pacific Tomato Growers takes a “whole farm” management approach. While it recognizes the need for Best Management Practices, or BMPs, on all its farms, the company knows that a “one size fits all” plan will not work for each operation. In Florida alone — from the rolling hills of the Panhandle to the flatwoods of south-central Florida — Pacific Tomato’s operations span four of the state’s five water
Gary Bethune, director of engineering for Pacific Tomato Growers, downloads irrigation data at a BMP testing site.
management districts. Since each operation faces different needs, concerns and governmental regulations, Pacific Tomato is working with regional water managers to establish site-specific BMPs, taking into consideration each location’s natural features, such as soils, topography and vegetation. “We feel that creating a constructive dialogue with the staff and managers at the Southwest Florida Water Management District has enabled us both to benefit and do a better job,” Carraway said. “We’re both looking — perhaps in a different way — for the same objective of the long-term maintenance of the resource. We need that in order to be an ongoing economically viable farm and farm product company. And it’s necessary from the standpoint of the district to make sure that the environment is protected for future generations of Floridians.” At the headwater of the Myakka River sits the Flatford Swamp. A large natural basin near a number of Manatee County farms, the swamp was beginning to show signs of stress. Due to an excess of water flowing into the swamp, trees were dying off at an alarming rate. The Southwest Florida Water Management District became concerned: if the Flatford Swamp is damaged, the delicate estuaries of Charlotte Harbor, at the other end of the Myakka River, could be affected. The water management district began examining ways of reducing water flow into Flatford Swamp. Understanding the need to maintain the health of the water body, Pacific Tomato Growers was the first to partner with the district.
Mac Carraway and Gary Bethune examine plans for the Pacific Tomato Growers surface water exchange project at the company’s Myakka City farm adjacent to the Flatford Swamp.
“Anytime you have a private/public partnership that works together to solve a problem or issue, the public always benefits,” said Ron Cohen, irrigation engineer with the Southwest Florida Water Management District. “The partnership that we have is the Agricultural Conservation Partnership Program, where Pacific Tomato Growers is working with three different best management practices to develop a toolbox for their sitespecific conditions to utilize to protect the resources.” The program involves experimenting with the BMPs on three production scale plots of 30 to 50 acres each, with the goal of conserving water and preventing runoff at Pacific Tomato’s Myakka City farm. The first, known as the Tailwater Recovery Seepage Interception System, uses perforated pipe to line the downhill end of the field, thus preventing seepage of groundwater past a set boundary. The water is then pumped to the field and reused. Another utilizes a fully enclosed subsurface seepage irrigation system in which heavy-duty drip tubing is completely buried. This conserves water by minimizing evaporation. The third field is irrigated by a conventional drip method using disposable drip tubing which applies directly to the root zone. This project allows for the first time a side-by-side comparison of these BMPs in a production setting. While these BMPs will reduce tailwater runoff entering the Flatford, there is still a concern about the excessive amount of water there. In another innovative public/private partnership —
the Surface Water Exchange Project — Pacific Tomato Growers is working with the water management district to remove excess surface water from the Flatford. By placing a withdrawal point within the swamp, Pacific Tomato can remove enough water to irrigate 500 acres of row crops. This will not only reduce substantially the amount of permitted ground water withdrawals, it will also relieve pressure on the stressed Flatford. “We are responsible for taking care of these assets because they represent our living,” Carraway said. “We have to have water. It makes no sense for us to waste water. We have to have soil conservation. It’s absolutely a necessity for us to have healthy sustainable crop land. My view is optimistic about agriculture and the care that it takes of its soil and water resources. I think it’s critical that Florida nourish its agricultural environment, and I think that Pacific Tomato Growers is going to be there in 25 years emphasizing quality and stewardship as part of our basic philosophy.”
Trucks equipped with an imaging laser and global positioning system map the location of each tree at the Scott Division of Evans Properties near Vero Beach.
In the past, a farmer who owned a 100-acre grove could care for it himself. He knew the soil and every tree in it. Today, thanks to technology, a farmer can still know and care for each tree — even in a grove covering thousands of acres. Today, “Precision Agriculture” allows growers to have more information about their land and their trees than ever thought possible. With the aid of computers and high-tech equipment, the growers at Evans Properties, Inc., can have at hand the age, productivity and origin of every tree in their 30,000 acres of citrus groves. “This technology gives you expanded ability to allow a good manager to operate on a much greater amount of acreage,” said Ron Edwards, president and chief executive officer of Evans Properties. “It allows you to see what changes over the years, keep all of the historical data for soil tests, foliar tests, and fertilizer programs.” Founded by J. Emmett Evans in 1951, Evans Properties, Inc., has groves in eight counties across Florida. Evans has distinguished itself as an environmentally conscious operation in many areas including innovation, water conservation, and wildlife protection. Technology has allowed Evans to see its operation in a new and exciting way. One of the most important decisions to be made when planting young citrus trees is selecting the rootstock. When a new grove is laid out, the soil is tested. Because the soil types in the South Florida
Evans Properties uses “tree see technology” in which an ultra-sonic or laser eye mounted to a tractor allows for precise application.
flatwoods may change every 50 to 100 feet, a machine that measures water-holding capacity is used to identify the different soils. A variety of citrus rootstocks can then be matched to the best soil type for optimum health and productivity. In addition to charting the location of the various soils, the data collected can help the manager determine nutrient amounts and irrigation plans. To get the most out of its citrus operation, trucks equipped with lasers and a global positioning system map the image and location of every tree. That information — including age, nursery of origin, rootstock, productivity, and nutrient applications — is stored in a computer database, giving the grove manager the tree’s extensive history. Remote electronic weather stations relay information to other locations, alerting the manager of favorable conditions for application of nutrients and pesticides. The amount of pesticides being used is greatly reduced due to ultra-low volume concentrate applicators. In addition, Evans uses “tree see technology.” An ultrasonic or laser eye mounted to a tractor enables a sprayer to deliver a precise amount of pesticide to each tree, or turn off an applicator when no tree is detected. This eliminates unnecessary and costly use of pesticides. “We found that in the average grove that saves maybe 25 percent of the chemical,” Edwards said. “That’s good business as well as good stewardship of the land. In most cases, I think that good stewardship and good business go hand in hand. There are not too many cases where it really conflicts. I don’t think it’s a
Tensiometers are used to monitor water levels for irrigation purposes at Evans’ Bluefield Grove near Okeechobee.
tradeoff that you have to make.” But for all the high-tech equipment used, Evans still relies on the hands-on approach when it comes to minimizing pesticide use and staying aware of the general health of the trees. Scouts will check leaves in the field for presence of pests and determine if and when pesticides need to be used. The scout will also collect a few young leaves and send them to a certified lab for leaf tissue analysis. The result of this test helps the manager decide when to apply fertilizer. Reservoirs have been built to conserve water for irrigation and freeze protection as well as to control the amount of discharge beyond the property. Using reservoirs to collect rainwater also reduces pumping from freshwater wells. The reservoirs use natural filtration to improve the quality of discharged water. The reservoirs are also stocked with fish to further clean the water. Sampled regularly by an authorized lab, water leaving the property is often cleaner than when it came in. In a move to further reduce water consumption, Evans has converted to microjets and drip irrigation throughout its operation. “Most all of our pump stations are metered so that you know how much you’ve put out,” Edwards said. “We run the water in small bursts where there are only a couple of hours of water run at a time, where you don’t run the water past the root zone. We use tensiometers and surface wells to indicate what the water levels are in the groves so that the irrigation is timed to just what the plant needs. You don’t over water, you don’t
under water. You’re conserving it in every way.” Attention to environmental guidelines is apparent in Evans’ maintenance area. Safety standards are rigorously followed in the machine shop. Containment areas enclosing the fuel tanks protect ground water. Residue removed from field equipment at special wash stations drains into holding tanks for safe disposal. The Evans family doesn’t just demonstrate good stewardship in the way they run their citrus operation. Showing a deep respect for the land, they have set aside nearly 300 acres of wildlife habitat at Bluefield Grove. This voluntary wildlife sanctuary was established expressly for the preservation of indigenous species. “Stewardship is a long-term process and objective of the whole system of how you manage the groves with both inputs, people, water, best management practices in general,” Edwards said. “So it’s good business to be a good steward of the land. You have to meld all these different pieces together of technology, management, and just good sense and old practical knowledge that’s always worked together to be competitive and stay in business. And I think going the extra mile, we try to always be practical and not just do something for show. And in the long-term I think it pays off.”
An Everglades Snail Kite at the Bluefield Grove.
1999
Two Rivers Ranch, Inc. • Thonotosassa Lykes Bros. Inc. • Okeechobee Suwannee Farms • O’Brien
1998
Longino Ranch • Arcadia V&W Farms • Avon Park
1997
Anclote River Ranch • Odessa
1996
Edward “Jack” Campbell • Homestead Citrus World, Inc. • Lake Wales Ekkwill Waterlife Resources • Gibsonton
1995
Schroeder Manatee Ranch • Bradenton Burt McKee • Tampa Davie Dairy, Inc. • Okeechobee O. F. Nelson and Sons Nursery • Apopka Bright Hour Ranch • Arcadia Deseret Ranches of Florida • St. Cloud Fulford Farms, Inc. • Monticello
1994
Rafter T Cattle Company • Avon Park A. Duda and Sons, Inc. • Oviedo Babcock Florida Company • Punta Gorda Gustafson’s Dairy Farm • Green Cove Springs Jon’s Nursery, Inc. • Eustis Adams Ranch, Inc. • Fort Pierce
