JAKE RABURN NAMED FSGA PRESIDENT

By Jim Frankowiak

Jake Raburn has been named president of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association (FSGA). He was nominated and confirmed by the FSGA Board of Directors. Most recently the FSAGA vice president, Raburn replaces outgoing president Tres McQuaig and will serve at the discretion of the FSGA Board of Directors. All 17 FSGA board members serve in volunteer capacities.

As FSGA President, Raburn will also head the Florida Strawberry Patent Service (FSPS) and Florida Strawberry Research and Education Foundation (FSREF). The purpose of the FSPS is to assist in managing the royalty revenue derived from the Florida specific patented varieties developed by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) strawberry research breeding program. The research program has developed over a dozen patented varieties since its inception in 1992. The FSREF was developed for the purpose of supporting research and education specific to Florida strawberries. Outside of funding strawberry focused research through the UF/IFAS strawberry research program, the FSREF also houses the FSREF Scholarship Program to support high school seniors, technical school students, and college students through their educational endeavors.

The FSGA’s membership is comprised of 65 farm families. Outside of the grower membership, the FSGA also works with entities seeking to partner in FSGA’s mission “to provide effective leadership and education that cultivates an environment of success for Florida strawberry growers” through the FSGA Allied Partner Program. The Allied Partner Program consists of entities which seek to support growers from a variety of services involved in all aspects of planting, growing, harvesting, promoting Florida strawberries, financing, and more.

A lifelong Hillsborough County resident, Raburn served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 57th District, which includes eastern Hillsborough County, from 2012 to 2018. A member of the Hinton Farms Produce management team since 2009, Raburn has primary responsibility for overseeing finances, labor, housing and regulatory issues for the 43-year-old business, which grows, packs, cools and ships fresh Florida fruits and vegetables. The family-owned business specializes in strawberries.

Before joining Hinton Farms Produce, Raburn worked as a marketing coordinator for the Florida Department of Citrus. He holds an undergraduate degree in Agricultural Communication from the University of Florida. Raburn and his wife Melissa Hinton Raburn have four children: Jackson, 11; eight-year-old twins Mason and Clayton; and Leah, 6. Melissa is a licensed real estate agent with Fischbach Land Company, a member of the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County and former FSGA Board member.

Jake and Melissa won the Excellence in Agriculture Award at the American Farm Bureau (AFB) annual convention in New Orleans in 2019. They placed first in the nation for their impressive agricultural careers and community service. They received similar recognition at the state level in 2018.

As FSGA President, Raburn plans to focus on a number of key issues facing strawberry growers that range from plant disease, labor and foreign trade to local regulatory matters. “Our industry has an annual economic impact of more than $1 billion and we employ more than 16,000 – two significant factors not only for our industry members, but the economy, as well,” said Raburn. Strawberries are grown on more than 12,000 acres in Hillsborough County each year, and that number continues on the upswing.

“We need to find a solution to the fungal disease

Pestalotia,” he said. “It was first observed in 1972 and considered a secondary pathogen. However, recent outbreaks have been more severe and strawberry yield have been reduced considerably over the past few seasons. It is vital that we continue to provide research funding and participate in trials that help control this pathogen.”

“The impact of foreign trade on our industry continues to be of major concern,” Raburn said. “We would like to see a level playing field which is not the case now. There are many aspects of this issue, not the least of which is government subsidization. Our growers receive no government subsidies, but that is not historically the case with growers in Mexico. That, plus the drastically lower cost for labor in Mexico, results in a totally unfair situation that must be addressed.”

Raburn also anticipates continued work with Hillsborough County elected officials and regulators. “We will continue to partner with county officials to develop a more appropriate regulatory program,” he said. “Our industry’s future needs to be assured through implementation of regulations that make sense are fair and avoid unnecessary and costly steps for our growers.”

In addition, the FSGA will continue its consumer outreach and education via programs involving the caricature “Jammer” and “Strawberry Sue” whose strawberry-based recipes continue to demonstrate myriad tasty ways to enjoy Florida strawberries.

“Our association also supports students through scholarships,” Raburn noted. “Since founded in 1982, the FSGA has awarded more than $545,000 in scholarships to Hillsborough County high school students.”

Congratulations Jake!