VOLUME 39 NUMBER 6 • PH. 813-737-NEWS (6397) • E-MAIL: FARMRANCHNEWS@AOL.COM • WWW.FARMAND R A N C H N E W S . C O M
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The Hillsborough County Fair (Oct. 17-21) Is More Than Just A Fair… It’s Community By S�e�ha��� Farmer-A�so�ia�� P��li��er Involvement!
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse donate their time patrolling the Fair.
When the farmers start planting their strawberries and the summer heat begins to lose its edge, folks know it is time for the Hillsborough County Fair, October 17-21. This event brings the agricultural and non-ag community together in a variety of ways. People from all walks of life, from retirees and homemakers to business owners and youth donate countless hours preparing the grounds, setting up show rings and events, to parking cars and selling tickets. Approximately 99% of the people you see involved with the Hillsborough County Fair are volunteers. Here is a snapshot of not only some of the volunteers but some of the “why” behind the Fair. Visit www.hillsboroughcountyfair.com for details
Volunteers like Betty Jo Tompkins, above with Cali Jo Parker, help find unique gifts and prizes for the exhibitors.
While these youth groom their sheep, they are learning an important life skill: the importance of paying attention to detail! One dirty inner ear, a speck of dirt or hay can be the difference between winning and losing the showmanship contest.
FFA members try their hand at the Tractor Driving Contest, preparing them for the official competition.
Who Will Be the Next Hillsborough County Fair’s Harvest Queen? Could you be one of the next Harvest Queens or Jr. Harvest Queens for the Hillsborough County Fair? The 2012-2013 Harvest Queen and Jr. Harvest Queen applications are now being accepted through Monday,October 8, 2012. Young ladies will have a chance of a lifetime promoting the Hillsborough County Fair to the rest of Florida. The Hillsborough County Fair is looking for two very special ladies to represent the Fair and
experience this amazing journey. The competition for the 2013 Harvest Queen and Jr. Harvest Queen begins Saturday, October 13 at 4:30 p.m.with an interview and the Queen contests starting at 6 p.m. at the Fairgrounds located at Hwy.60 and Sydney Washer Road. The Fair royalty act as official ambassadors of the Hillsborough Cnty Fair by promoting our heritage and values in the community and making appear-
ances during their reign. The winning two contestants must embody the Fair’s values of integrity, pride of place, hospitality and commitment to community. The reining Harvest Queen will receive a $1000 scholarship to any college or university in Florida with a matching $1000 scholarship to Florida College if the winner atends there. To view the application form visit the Fair’s website at www.hillsboroughcountyfair.com
Jessica Story & the Sickles FFA
By Ta�lor E. Nelson/ Si���es Hi�� S�hool F�A
Starting out in a new career can be scary for anyone, especially starting out as a teacher in an Agricultural and Veterinary Assisting Program. Not only do you have to teach students the lessons but you have to be there for the FFA Chapter as an advisor and a leader. This can also be a daunting scenario for the members and officers. But in the case of Sickles High School it looks to be a little different. New teacher and advisor Jessica Story is anything but afraid of the year ahead. She is ready for this new adventure of her life. Mrs. Story grew up in a family farm environment constantly learning and exploring. She gained much knowledge from the many animals she raised such as: pigs, chickens, horses, and cattle! This home-life as well as being involved in her Sickles High School FFA Chapter sparked something inside of her. It inspired her to want to help children and the community learn the importance of agriculture, as well as gaining leadership through seminars and conferences, gaining knowledge through participating in CDE competitions, and personal growth through experiences. After high school Mrs. Story went on to graduate from the University of Florida, where she says “I gained a lot of knowledge from my professors who helped prepare me for my career ahead in Agricultural Education and Communication. I also
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have to thank my internship teacher Jenna Barefoot for having me in her class and supporting me every step of the way.” For Mrs. Story, being hired at Walter L. Sickles High school wasn’t just a new place, or a new job. This was her graduating school and it is because of this that the experiences she had as a teen have inspired her to return to her Alma Moter. In an interview, Mrs. Story states “I cannot dream of a better opportunity”. Throughout the course of this year and the years to follow Mrs. Story hopes to have a State winning CDE team, prepare students to graduate the Veterinary Assisting Certification Program, help the chapter to play an essential role in the community, and aid students in Agricultural and academic success. When Mrs. Story isn’t planning lessons for her students, helping in “Land-Lab Work Days”, or brainstorming new ideas for the year, she can be found most commonly on the boat fishing or scalloping, adventuring on her fourwheeler, cooking, or just spending time with her family, which is a major priority. It is safe to say that Mrs. Story is excited for the upcoming year and cannot wait to begin her career as an Agricultural Educator, an Advisor, and a role-model!
Volume 39 • Number 6 • 2012 • Farm & Ranch News
Volume 39 • Number 6 • 2012 • Farm & Ranch News
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the davis report By Roy Davis- Associate Editor
“I’m From the Government and I’m Here to Help You!” The Hillsborough Soil and water Conservation District has been actively promoting soil and water conservation since 1946. The District has an elected Board of Supervisors that oversees a local grassroots program dealing with soil conservation, water conservation and other natural resource issues. The goal of the Hillsborough Soil and Water Conservation District is to solve local natural resource problems with quality technical services. The Soil and Water Conservation Board of Supervisors of Hillsborough County Florida, consists of five (5) board members, each of whom are elected at large (county-wide vote). The election is held every four years in conjunction with the election of the President of the United States. This year the general election will be held on Tuesday November 6th. Elected members of this Board serve four (4) year terms, and it should be noted that the terms for the 5 Board members are staggered. That is to say that two members will be elected this election year, and three will be elected during the alternate election year. That year will be 2014. Betty Jo Tompkins has served on the Soil and Water Conservation Board for many years, representing District four (4). She was required to resign her position in order to run for the District 59 seat on the Florida House of Representatives. I believe her resignation will be effective around November 1st. It should be noted here that these five Board members serve without pay. The Board meets quarterly. As an integral part of the Federal Farm Bill, the Federal Government makes funds available to assist farmers in performing various practices that help to preserve clean water on farms, and help to conserve and protect ground water and surface water. As these funds become available, they are allocated through a competitive ranking process. The various Soil and Water Conservation Boards then review the applications that qualified farmers submit. The fund will pay up to 75% of the cost of digging a conservation pond that meets the criteria. Funds are paid to the farmer or landowner only when the work is completed, and inspections have determined that the work has been done according to the established criteria. The amount of funds paid on an individual project is determined by total amount of funds sent down by USDA. The Soil and Water Conservation Board has a
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cooperative partnership agreement with USDA-NRCS. and has working relationships with regulatory agencies such as SWFWMD, EPC, DEP and other agencies. Soil and Water Conservation District is NOT a regulatory agency. They have a Civil Engineer on Staff who will research the application and design the farm plan to include the pond, the drainage pattern for run-off water, appropriate culvert sizes, ditch pattern and construction (as necessary). The gentleman who is the staff engineer is Kim Ford. NRCS staff will assist farmers in preparing all of the necessary applications and paperwork. Jennifer Abbey is the head of this department. Her title is District Conservationist. In past years, it would take up to a full year to go all the way through their process and get through the design process. The current staff has streamlined their process to the point that the planning for a project can be completed in weeks rather than months. Oh yes, when you get your pond dug, there is another federal program, called the EQUIP program, that will pay up to 75% of the cost of the irrigation pump that will supply water to your crop. NRCS staff will help the farmer apply for this program. Keep in mind that this grant only applies to pumps on surface water ponds, and does not include pumps on wells. This is to encourage the use of surface water over the use of well water. Soil and Water Conservation staff also works with other agencies in order to accomplish wetland delineations (when necessary), apply for agricultural exemption status when it is necessary to remove trees, excavate soil, or accomplish any of several necessary practices. In short, this agency is there to help farmers, so I recommend that you take advantage of their services. The members who now serve as Supervisors on your Soil and Water Conservation Board are as follows: Hugh Gramling, Chairman; Betty Jo Tompkins, vice Chairman; Sharon Collins, Treasurer; David Maynard, and Anita Stewart. The Hillsborough County offices are located in downtown Plant City at 201 S. Collins St., Suite 202. The phone number is 813-757-3740.
Volume 39 • Number 6 • 2012 • Farm & Ranch News
New UF/IFAS Book Offers Insights on Managing Large Residential Lots A big yard or vacation property can be a great asset to a family, offering plenty of room for sports, recreation and relaxation. But taking care of an acre or two, or 10 or 20, involves more than just buying a riding mower. So the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences has just published a handbook designed to help people with large, forested residential properties understand their land management options.”Your Backyard Woods and Wildlife” is available for $18 from http://ifasbooks.ufl.edu .The 164-page book explains the basics of Florida’s ecosystems, delves into ways of earning extra income from forestland, and tells where to turn for more information and advice.The book was in development for close to a decade, and fills an important niche in Florida, said editor Chris Demers, a forester with UF’s School of Forest Resources and Conservation. “We’ve been approached by a number of people who suggested we do something like this,” Demers said. He explained that in recent years many commercial properties have been subdivided into jumbo-sized residential lots, and purchased by people with no prior experience in land management. To help them get their bearings, “Your Backyard Woods and Wildlife” is divided into three sections: 1. The first, “What You Have,” is devoted to common Florida ecosystems and their features, threats to forest health, and Florida wildlife - both native and invasive species. 2. The second, “What You Can Do” is the book’s centerpiece. It covers land management basics, the role water plays in forest ecosystems, strategies for creating wildlife habitat, landscape planning, ways to reduce wildfire risk, how to improve forest health, managing trees for timber production, and ideas for earning income from recreation, ecotourism and other activities. 3. The final section, “Resources,” includes contact information for state and federal agencies, as well as nonprofit and private organizations that offer assistance to landowners. Even Florida residents on quarter-acre lots could benefit from the book, Demers said. The sections on Florida ecosystems, the water cycle, butterfly gardening, fire risk and wildlife habitat are relevant to virtually any home.Demers said he’d also like to develop an education program bringing lessons from the book to workshops, field days and other events. “Your Backyard Woods and Wildlife” was funded by UF/IFAS, the Florida Forest Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Renewable Resources Extension Act. Demers edited the book along with colleagues Alan Long, a professor emeritus, and Annie Oxarart, a research programs and services coordinator at the forest resources school.
Volume 39 • Number 6 • 2012 • Farm & Ranch News
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“Changes”
by Myke Morris - Contributing Editor
Change. All of history shows us that things change. Churchill said that, “History is just one … thing after another.” I suppose that change is the number one problem with many marriages. A man marries a woman expecting she will never change and the woman marries the man expecting that she will change him! Folks’, dilemma is we hate change but want it at the same time what we really want is everything to stay the same but get better. Isaac Newton’s first law of Motion can be stated that everything stays just as it is unless it is caused to change by some outside force. So, it seems, some people will change when they see the light, others only when they feel the heat. I’ve quoted Martin Van Buren before. Here is his concern about a major change taking place in the country when he was governor of New York. He wrote this in a letter to his mentor, President Andrew Jackson, “As you may know, Mr. President, ‘railroad’ carriages are pulled at the enormous speed of 15 miles per hour by ‘engines’ which, in addition to endangering life and limb of passengers, roar and snort their way through the countryside, setting fire to crops, scaring the livestock and frightening women and children. The Almighty certainly never intended that people should travel at such break
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neck speed.” Oh well, so much for trying to prevent change. Maybe we ought to be ready to use it when it shows up, even mysteriously. I heard about an old farmer from the hills of Appalachia who came into a fortune from coal mining. Somebody told him he ought to take the family to New York City, now that he was rich, and get some “sophistication.” He wasn’t sure what that was, but they all wanted to go, so they went. The old man went into a high rise and wandered over to some shiny doors which opened up by themselves revealing a tiny room. An elderly woman rushed past him into the room and the doors shut. Wondering what this was all about, he asked a man who came up and pushed a button on the wall. “Why, that’s an elevator,” said the New Yorker. Just then, the doors opened again and a young, very attractive, woman got off. “Jim Bob,” yelled the old man to his son, “run quick and get your mother!” I read this attributed to the Clerk of Abbington Presbytery, outside of Philadelphia, from about 100 years ago: “Lord, help us to be right, for you know how hard it is to change.” Amen. Churchill had some advice for Harry Truman after the sSecond World War. The now retired British Prime Minister was visiting America and riding in a train with Truman. In the train car was hung the Presidential seal. Beginning with President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1877, the eagle on the presidential seal traditionally faced the bundle of arrows
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in its left talon. Truman noticed Churchill studying the symbol and told him that he had it changed so that the eagle’s head looked toward the olive branch instead of the arrows. Churchill advised, “Why not put it on a swivel so it can be turned either way as the occasion warrants?” The great American short story writer, Washington Irving said, “There is a certain relief in change, even though it be from bad to worse! As I have often found in travelling in a stagecoach, that it is often a comfort to shift one’s position, and be bruised in a new place.” Things have changed over the years but one thing we should hope will never change is the character of good people. I have known Joe Riggio for quite a few years and Jimmy Scarborough a few years more. But they have known each other longer as they grew up together in Bartow. This spring Jimmy told about coming home from ABAC (Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, in Tifton, Georgia) with Joe 50 years ago and running out of gas at Valdosta. Joe went after gas but the station required a $5.00 deposit for the can (when gas was only $0.29/gallon at most, so the gas must not have cost more than $1.50!). Joe didn’t have much choice so he paid and caught a ride back to the car. They put the gas in the tank and took the can back to the station. When they got there, they found it was closed. They left the can outside and wrote a note figuring that was some mighty expensive gas. When Joe got back to Tifton - they had sent him his $5.00 deposit! Charlie Smith of Bartow knew a
lot of change. He claimed to the Associated Press to be the oldest man alive, at 130, in October of 1972. He said that he had been about 12 years old when he first saw America from the decks of a slave ship. I read that he doesn’t much like change anymore. He said “I don’t do much now. I just sit here, and when I get tired of sitting I get up, and when I get tired of that, I sit down.” I think he’s earned it. God, who never changes and who dwells where things are permanent, created a world of change and put us in it. I don’t know why; perhaps the answer is the secret of the universe. Or at least part of the secret. But I know that he means for us to deal with change and yet to focus on the permanent things. Psalms 46:1-3 (ASV)
God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore will we not fear, though the earth do change, And though the mountains be shaken into the heart of the seas; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, Though the mountains tremble with the swelling thereof. Selah
Volume 39 • Number 6 • 2012 • Farm & Ranch News
Volume 39 • Number 6 • 2012 • Farm & Ranch News
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Volume 39 • Number 6 • 2012 • Farm & Ranch News
Volume 39 • Number 6 • 2012 • Farm & Ranch News
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Missionary Trip to Guatemala Bears Fruit for 15 Men From Two Plant City Churches By Justin Parker
I recently went on a mission trip to Guatemala with 15 awesome people from Plant City’s Church on the Rock and Shiloh Baptist Church. While there, we built a house for a homeless family, repaired two police stations in Alottenango and San Gaspar, and did police training for over a hundred officers and lead Bible studies in their headquarters. We shared the Gospel with over 150 people and had many confirmed salvations, but I want to share about the mindset of a mission trip. Mission Trips are a kind of surreal experience for me; they are so different from your usual routine you would think that would be the main reason why. Perhaps, because when on a mission trip you are in another country, that is the reason behind the almost out of body experience I have whenever I am throwing myself into another journey to a third world country to serve God with my meager ability. Both of these are possibilities, but I think the real reason I feel so out of sorts on a mission trip is because of how the people look at you when you tell them about it. First, there are all the people at home that you tell about it, like your friends and family. If they are not “mission trip” people then they are confused by the whole thing. Sometimes I get comments like, “there are plenty of people that need help here” or “you don’t have to go all the way to Guatemala for a mission trip”. Those comments are true but misguided. I am not going to another country because I want to; I am going because God told me to. Then you get to the mission field and the people of that country wonder why you are there, they either think you are a saint or that you have some kind of hidden agenda. Neither is wrong there either, we are all saints who believe in Jesus Christ’s resurrection and are following in His footsteps, and I do have an agenda: share Jesus with everyone I can.
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When you get back from your mission trip, you are drained physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The good kind of drained you feel after a hard day’s work, or completing a project you have been working on for days. But people ask you, “how was your trip?” Like they are asking “how was your vacation?” But you can’t just say good, bad, or indifferent. I just kind of stare at them while thoughts like “humbling, earth shattering, heart breaking, Spirit moving, life changing” run through my head. I guess the person who looks at me the craziest during a mission trip is myself. I wonder “Why do I do all this?” before I leave, and then “why did I think I was qualified for this?” while I am there, and then “how soon can I come back?” as soon as it ends. Then I get back, and I wonder “How can I ever go back to life the way it was before?” The solution is that I always find a way. Because the gospel truth is that I should never come back from the mission field; I may return to the States and my family, and home here in Plant City, but I am still on the mission field. So, if you see me around town and ask me what I am doing here I hope I look at you bewildered and amazed to be here, and hopefully I am feeling bold enough to tell you that God put me here to tell you how much He loves you. God loves you so much He sent His son to die for you and pay the debt for all our mistakes and wants nothing more than to be in a loving relationship with you. That’s the mission trip I am on. (Editor’s note: Justin Parker is an officer with the Walden Woods Office of SunTrust Bank in Plant City).
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Pastor Jeffrey Howell and Jimmy Morgan installing a new cistern in a police station in Alottenango, Guatamala. They have no running water there.
Police station bible study with The Rock’s Pastor Howell, Justin Parker, Eric Remon, and Pastor Geno Rodriguez from Shiloh Baptist Church.
Volume 39 • Number 6 • 2012 • Farm & Ranch News
“Fence Builders Field Day” Set for September 15 Circle R Ranch & Livestock Equipment will be hosting a “Fence Builders Field Day” on Saturday, September 15, at 10am. They will be providing demonstrations by Oklahoma Steel and Gripple. They will also be providing lunch to those who attend. Please RSVP to Circle R Ranch & Livestock (contact information and location address below) no later than September 7th so that they can make the necessary arrangements for food. Contact: Mike Reed Circle R Ranch & Livestock Equipment 16490 US Hwy 27 Lake Wales, FL 33859 863-638-4283 office
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Summer Brings ThunderStorms and Humidity
Did you know Tampa is the lightning strike capital of the United States. All of those thunderstorms increase the chances that your a/c will stop working. Especially after tropical storm Debby deluged us, we replaced an increasing number of burnt out electrical components, including control boards, contactors, disconnects, and many others. Sometimes, however, electrical damage is not immediate. On a more regular basis, we find that capacitors are failing. Your system’s capacitor works with the motor or compressor it connects to in two important ways. When power comes from the power company, it has an electrical phase shift that puts extra stress on electric motors. A capacitor absorbs that shift, supplying “in phase” power to the motor. This prolongs the life of your fan motors and compressor. A capacitor works by storing up electrical power and releasing it into the circuit. This electrical behavior is especially helpful to an electric motor when it starts. The motor needs more power to get the fan or compressor blades turning than it does to keep them turning. This extra start up power is supplied by the capacitor. Capacitors both help the motor start and keep it running. Perhaps the best role that capacitors play is as a stop-loss. If lightning strikes a unit, for example, instead of feeding all that current and voltage directly into the expensive motor and burning it out, the damage may be “absorbed” by the much less expensive capacitor. Capacitors often save the motor much like a canary in a mine. Marc Morris A/C checks all the electronic components every time we do a preventative maintenance inspection. These inspections not only monitor the health of your electric components, but they also help to catch or prevent early signs of drain malfunction, corrosion, dirt accumulation, refrigerant leaks, and many other preventable repairs. Humidity With summertime comes not only hotter temperatures, but the almost daily rains and higher air temperatures bring more humidity. As the temperature of air cools, it has less “carrying capacity” for water vapor. As the temperature
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of air rises, so does the capacity to carry humidity. You may be familiar with this principle from glass windows that sweat or frost up only on one side. As the air on one side cools the glass, the warmer air on the other side is holding more water in vapor form. When this warmer, higher humidity air contacts the cool glass, the water condenses into a liquid and beads up on the cool glass. In winter, it may even freeze there. In our Florida summer, the air can carry a heavy load of humidity. This can present several challenges to homeowners and their comfort. First, humidity in our climate is uncomfortable. Highly humid air prevents the human body’s natural cooling mechanisms from working properly. In dry air, approximately 25-30% relative humidity, a 95 degree afternoon feels like about 95 degrees. The body can expel excess heat more effectively. In 80% relative humidity air, a 95 degree temperature feels like 136 degrees. This “feels like” temperature is called the heat index. By controlling humidity, we can control comfort without setting the thermostat lower. The good news is, humidity control is possible at home. When your air conditioner is running, the air in your home circulates across a 40-50 degree evaporator coil. This cold surface causes humidity in the air to condense on the coil and drain outside. Some systems, like the current American Standard air handlers and heat pumps, even have controls built into the thermostat to set a desired humidity range and the air conditioner will operate not only to cool, but also to reduce humidity. Other innovations in comfort technology are making humidity control at home even more accessible. Many systems are already using multi-stage compressors and variable speed blowers. When the air conditioner responds to heavy heat load, it operates at full capacity, both cooling and dehumidifying. When the desired temperature is reached, the compressor can drop to a lower stage and the fan motor slow down. Operating at this lower stage, it can also dehumidify effectively. There are also stand alone dehumidifiers for whole building and single room applications available. Marc Morris A/C & Refrigeration, Inc. 7820 N. 56th Street Tampa, Florida 33617
Volume 39 • Number 6 • 2012 • Farm & Ranch News
Volume 39 • Number 6 • 2012 • Farm & Ranch News
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We’ve Turned 15! Pacific Legal Foundation’s Atlantic Center celebrates 15 years of rescuing liberty in the Sunshine State in 2012. On the strength of our donors, and representing some of the most tenacious, freedom-loving clients in the country, PLF has fought and won legal precedents for Floridians, and all Americans. The Atlantic Center is one of three regional litigation centers established by California-based Pacific Legal Foundation to extend its defense of individual and economic liberties throughout the nation. The Atlantic Center participates in important court cases that have the potential of setting lasting legal precedents that benefit Florida’s diverse and growing population. Private property rights, limited government, and individual liberty may seem like vague, far-away concepts, until they are lost. In reality, these concepts affect the freedom we have to live our lives every day, at home and at work. When our freedom is attacked, someone must be there to defend our liberty. Pacific Legal Foundation created the Atlantic Center in 1997 for that very reason, to be on the front lines of the battle to limit the unwarranted intrusion into our lives by government and special interests. For the past 15 years the Atlantic Center staff has created an impressive legal program and case load in crucial areas of the law like defending private property rights, fighting oppressive environmental regulation, and defending free enterprise. So to all of our loyal donors, and to all of the clients we’ve represented since we opened our doors in 1997, thank you for standing up for the Constitution, and our fundamental rights and liberties. As long as threats remain to our freedoms, you will have a powerful courtroom ally and champion in PLF. Here are some examples of 15 years of success in protecting American rights: Threatened Injunction Causes Riviera Beach To Think Twice About Land
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Grab Corie v. City of Riviera Beach PLF, on behalf of Jerry and Rene Corie, sued the City of Riviera Beach to enjoin the City from exercising the power of eminent domain to acquire and transfer 400 waterfront acres to a private developer. Florida lawmakers agreed overwhelmingly to prohibit cities from using the power of eminent domain for purposes of economic development. With the Governor set to sign the measure into law, the Riviera Beach City Council raced to pass a resolution authorizing a contract between the city and Viking Industries, a private developer, mere hours before Governor Bush signed H.B. 1567 into law. With PLF’s lawsuit pending, the city abandoned its redevelopment plans. Endangered Species 5-Year Review Florida Homebuilders Association v. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service In July, 2007, PLF, representing the Florida Homebuilders Association (Association), succeeded in forcing the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to conduct mandatory status reviews for approximately 100 Florida species, including the wood stork, listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as threatened or endangered. The wood stork five-year status review, completed in September, 2007, recommended reclassifying the wood stork from endangered to threatened status. When the USFWS failed to respond to the reclassification recommendation, PLF formally petitioned to “down list” the wood stork from endangered to threatened as recommended in the status review. When the government balked again at following the ESA, PLF filed a 60-day notice of intent to file suit. The federal government responded by initiating a new review process permitted by the ESA that
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(WHI): (1) Generate additional resources to establish new legal precedents that protect the liberties, property, and freedom of individuals against unwarranted and illegal governmental or other interference; (2) Establish and maintain a pro bono program of attorneys experienced in land use and property rights matters to represent private property owners in select cases at the administrative and trial levels; (3) Educate and inform the public about the importance of property rights protections as essential to individual freedom; (4) Establish an internship program that educates the next generation of property rights champions.
should be completed this year. Department of Agriculture Destroys Uninfected Citrus Trees Florida Department of Agriculture, etc. v. Borgoff, et al. PLF’s amicus participation supported the claims made in a class action involving over 50,000 owners, that the destruction by the Department of Agriculture (DOAC) of over 100,000 non-commercial uninfected citrus trees, constituted a taking of private property, for which compensation was constitutionally required. The appellate court ruled that “[c]utting down and destroying healthy non-commercial trees of private citizens could hardly be more definitively a taking.” The district court ruled further that just compensation “was a clear requisite . . . to the act of destroying healthy trees,” and that the replacement cost of the trees destroyed was the proper measure of the property owner’s damages. The Wade L. Hopping Institute for Private Property Rights at Pacific Legal Foundation’s Atlantic Center A stellar accomplishment of Florida’s Atlantic Center was the establishment of The Wade L. Hopping Institute for Private Property Rights. There are several goals to be pursued at the Wade Hopping Institute for Private Property Rights
Litigation News Save Crystal River Inc. v. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Alan E. DeSerio Managing Attorney In 2007, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a 5-Year Review of the West Indian Manatee, which includes the subspecies of the Florida and Antillean manatee. The review, relying heavily upon information provided by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), recommended that the manatee should be down-listed from endangered to threatened. USFWS has not acted on the recommendation prepared over 5 years ago. PLF, representing the Save Crystal River group, is petitioning the agency to downlist the manatee. If the agency ignores the request, or declines to grant the petition, PLF will seek to compel the status changes in federal court. We are always searching for cases in which we might assist. If you know of a matter that you would like PLF to consider, please fill out a case information form available on our website, or contact the Atlantic Center office.
Alan DeSerio Managing Attorney
Please contact us if you have a question or comment, or need additional information about PLF’s Atlantic Center: aed@pacificlegal.org
Volume 39 • Number 6 • 2012 • Farm & Ranch News
Volume 39 • Number 6 • 2012 • Farm & Ranch News
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Lipman Encourages Consumers to Experience “True Tomato Taste” Immokalee, Fla. – Lipman, North America’s largest open field tomato grower, recently announced that it will give away a limited supply of Vintage Ripe tomatoes through its website, www.TrueTomatoTaste.com. “In recent months, there’s been a lot of talk about how today’s tomatoes are ‘flavorless,’” said Kent Shoemaker, CEO of Lipman. “It’s time to set the record straight, which is why we’re giving away samples of our most flavorful tomato, the Vintage Ripe. Specially grown for that authentic tomato taste, we’re confident this variety will deliver the flavor consumers long for.” Now through September 14, consumers are encouraged to register for a free sample. Winners will be selected at random to receive a two-pack of Vintage Ripe tomatoes. Earlier this year, the company – traditionally known as a business-tobusiness supplier – launched a consumer-focused website, LipmanKitchen. com. In addition to tomato facts and
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nutrition information, the site includes a collection of recipes created exclusively for Lipman by some of the nation’s top food bloggers. Lipman’s “True Tomato Taste” campaign will be supported via social media through the company’s Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest pages.
About Lipman Based in Immokalee, Fla., Lipman is the largest open field tomato grower in North America, providing dependable year-round fresh produce through an integrated network of research & development, farming, processing, repacking and procurement solutions. Farms in Florida, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, California and Mexico – totaling tens of thousands of acres – allow for Lipman’s geographic diversity and ability to grow and ship fresh produce 365 days a year. For more information, visit www.LipmanProduce.com and www.LipmanKitchen.com.
Volume 39 • Number 6 • 2012 • Farm & Ranch News
Fall Forage Production and Beef Cattle Nutrition This program is designed to enhance livestock production by discussing the economic implications of forage management and beef cattle nutrition.
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The Rules of a Gunfight Shooting Advice from various Concealed Carry Instructors. If you own a gun, you will appreciate this. If not, you should get one and learn how to use it.
H: Make your attacker advance through a wall of bullets . . . You may get killed with your own gun, but he’ll have to beat you to death with it, cause it’ll be empty.
A: Guns have only two enemies - rust and politicians.
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D: Never let someone or something that threatens you get inside arms-length.
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Volume 39 • Number 6 • 2012 • Farm & Ranch News
E: Never say “I’ve got a gun.” If you need to use deadly force, the first sound they hear should be the safety clicking off. F: The average response time of a 911 call is 23 minutes; the response time of a .357 is 1400 feet per second. G: The most important rule in a gunfight is: Always win…cheat if necessary.
J: In a life and death situation: do something . . . It may be wrong, but do something! K: If you carry a gun, people call you paranoid. Nonsense! If you have a gun, what do you have to be paranoid about? L: You can say ‘stop’ or ‘alto’ or any other word, but a large bore muzzle pointed at someone’s head is pretty much a universal language. M: Forget the save the planet nonsense, it doesn’t need saving, but you may be able to save yourself and your family.
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Drought Worsens As USDA Cuts Crop Projections; Farmers Hopes Sink
The weekly U.S. Drought Monitor map released August 14 held more bad news for the contiguous United States, with 62 percent remaining in some level of drought. And the expanse that is gripped by extreme or exceptional drought rose nearly two percent last week to 24 percent. The center of the drought remains directly over the Corn Belt. With some stage of drought covering the entire states of Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas, the drought is certainly taking its toll on the corn and soybean crops. According to the August 10 estimates from USDA – the first estimates of the year – production numbers are down
Tom Zacharias, president of National Crop Insurance Services, in a statement released to the media. Zacharias noted that farmers purchase crop insurance policies to protect themselves against situations just like this, although many have never collected an indemnity. “This year, their decision to purchase crop insurance confirms their practice of sound risk management,� he said. While there continues to be speculation about the ultimate cost of the 2012 drought, it is still too early to provide precise estimates of the losses. Zacharias explained that NCIS is analyzing the August 10 report and will compare that with reports from the field along with the crop insurance policy data that is still being processed and reported to the Risk Management Agency. 8"-10-& '&&% It will be hard $&/53"- 45"5&4 to gain a complete "%. '&&%4 picture of the situation and final outcomes will vary by state, crop and types of policies purchased. “What is certain is that the crop insurance industry is on the ground in the drought-stricken areas, mobilizing "-40 loss-adjuster teams,� $"33:*/( Zacharias pointed +FXFMSZ (JGU *UFNT out. 4BEEMFT 5BDL “Farmers can be )BZ assured their claims
substantially from what was projected at the beginning of the planting season. Despite the fact that this was the largest corn crop planted since 1937, production is projected to be down 13 percent, the lowest output since 2006. Corn yields are expected to average 123.4 bushels per acre, down nearly 24 bushels from last year, which would be the lowest average yield since 1995. Soybeans tell a similar story. Soybean production is forecast to be down by 12 percent from last year, and if realized, would have the lowest average yield since 2003. “Thankfully, the vast majority of the farms in these drought-ravaged areas are protected by crop insurance,� said
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will be paid, and that the companies will move as quickly and as efficiently as possible, given the expected volume of claims, to assess damages and get indemnity checks into the hands of farmers.� In order to be approved to sell federal crop insurance, companies must have adequate surplus and reinsurance at their disposal so that even if a catastrophe of this magnitude strikes, and then one strikes again the next year, the company is still capable of paying indemnities on the policies they sell. In addition to company surplus and reinsurance, the federal government serves as the backstop reinsurer for all companies that sell crop insurance. As such, the federal government shares in the gains and the losses of the program. Gains in prior years can and will be used to offset losses in years like this one. Zacharias explained that the industry has 5,000 claims adjusters and 15,000 agents working tirelessly right now to help growers cope. These adjusters are working hard to get money to farmers who have suffered losses, already paying out more than $1 billion in indemnities to date. Companies are also mobilizing adjusters away from other parts of the country that have not been affected by drought and sending those adjusters to the hard-hit states. “With their crop insurance policies in hand, farmers will not only survive this drought but plant again next year, ensuring a continuity of the food, feed, fiber and fuel supply for this nation and an increasingly hungry world,� he added.
Volume 39 • Number 6 • 2012 • Farm & Ranch News
Volume 39 • Number 6 • 2012 • Farm & Ranch News
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Hunting Tips and Information From Team Black Hog Down and Farm & Ranch News By James Garner/ gravelhillboy@aol .com
has a naturally low pH so you will want to bring the pH up to about 6.0 to 6.5 range. Lime is basically calcium and is usually the best and least expensive way to raise the pH of your soil. Lime is commonly sold either pelletized or in powder. Powdered lime is the cheapest and easiest to apply. What your soil is made of (such as how much clay and sand is present) will alter the amount of lime that is required to raise the pH. Usually new food plots will initially need 1 or 2 tons of lime per acre to bring the pH up into the desired range. Often colleges with an agricultural DAVID HARGROVE and JAMES GARNER, above, co-founders of Team Black Hog department will perform a Down with the results of a recent hog hunt on private property in Hillborough County “behind the old wood shed”. soil analysis for a reasonable price. You can also It’s sweltering weather in central Florida, but purchase your own pH meter. If you hunt in Georgia, the clay soil usualwhen the sun goes down and the crickets start sing- ly measures pH 5.5 and needs 24-ounces of lime per ing you can almost sense that Summer is beginning to square yard to reach pH 6.5! Florida sandy soil usually fade. Yes, Fall is just around the corner. Fawns are in measures pH 5.5 and needs 8-ounces of lime per square spots, food plots are being planted and it’s time for the yard to reach ph 6.5. This should help get your soil prepared properly for your food plot. For those that don’t hunter to prepare for what may be the best season yet. Farm & Ranch News has teamed up with Team have the time or equipment for a food plot, just set out Black Hog Down to keep local hunters informed on the a feeder and some mineral blocks near bedding areas. latest updates, products, and information to make this If hogs are what you’re after, there are some extra steps you can take to attract them into your path. Of course, year a success. Before opening day there are a few steps a corn feeders will help; however, on management areas hunter can take to make the most of their time in the feeding is prohibited. Try a hog attractant. Team Black Hog Down has a product that is woods. Be prepared for opening day by taking the nec- essary steps to insure that the big buck or trophy pig so potent, it is sure to catch the attention of swine anywhere in the vicinity. “Stinketh” hog attractant is availwill step out and give you a shot. Food plots are a great way to attract deer and able at www.teamblackhogdown.com/us and at local are essential for a great hunting season. A small “deer hunting supply retailers. You will also find gravity feed garden” should consist of items that deer can’t resist ers, hog traps, deer attractants and feed blocks. It’s never too early to get excited about huntas well as providing the proper nutrition to keep them healthy. Iron clay peas, clover, wheat and Chufa are all ing season! So, as summer begins to fade into fall, remember that the harvest is just around the corner. Begin good choices. Most food plot seed mixes do well but general- the preparations now and the family will be eating well ly have more wheat seed than anything else. No need to come winter! We will follow up next month with season dates make it to complicated. Remember, a deer would rather for Florida, Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina, as eat an acorn than anything else. These are supplemental. A small plot in a strategic place will help keep the well as any new rules, regulations and hunting tips. Thanks to Farm & Ranch News for giving logame moving across your property or lease. Here is some information to help you get the cal hunting enthusiasts an outlet for local stories, prodmost out of your food plot. The proper pH is a crucial ucts and information. part of having a quality food plot. pH is a measure of the acidity of your soil. The pH scale is measured from 0 to James Garner Team Black Hog Down , VP 14. The optimum range is 6.0 to 7.5. Your soil likely Genesis 1:26 K JV
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Volume 39 • Number 6 • 2012 • Farm & Ranch News
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2012 Florida FFA Hall of Fame to Induct Five in 2012 Harold “Ray� Clark of Lakeland spent his entire professional career as an agriculture teacher at Plant City High School in Hillsborough County before retiring in 2008. Clark received honorary FFA degrees at both the state and national levels. More than 30 of his former students have become agriculture teachers. His FFA members won state competitions in six different career development areas, and 21 of his students served as state or national FFA officers. Clark continues to be an active supporter of agricultural education and FFA. Alfred Rankin “A. R.� Cox, Jr. earned his B.S. degree from the University of Florida in 1937. After teaching agriculture at Summerfield-Weirsdale and Reddick, Cox served as the Florida FFA Executive Secretary from 1949 until he retired in 1965. He passed away in 2005. Donald Charles Hurst graduated from Lafayette County High School in 1944 and received his B.S. degree in agriculture from UF in 1949. Hurst spent most of his teaching career at Bell High School, where he taught agriculture for 18 years. He then served as vocational director for Gilchrist and Levy counties until his re-
tirement in 1985. He passed away in July 2012. Gary Doyle Lee was an agriculture teacher and coordinator of career and technical education in Polk and Highlands Counties for 33 years before retiring in 2006. He also served as a consultant for the Florida Department of Education for three years before moving from Polk to Highlands County in 1978. In addition to his direct influence on youth through his teaching, Lee has been provided outstanding leadership to the FFA alumni organization at the local and state levels. He received the National FFA Alumni Achievement Award and Legion of Merit Award. Lee has continued to serve as a part-time teacher and resource for agriculture teachers in Highlands County since his retirement. Winton Oziel “W. O.� Whittle was both an agriculture teacher (6 years) and County Extension agent (6 years) before spending a majority of his professional career as Chief of the Bureau of State Markets for the Florida Department of Agriculture. Whittle’s efforts have had a positive influence on many 4-H and FFA members and agriculture producers in the state. Whittle retired in 1985 and lives in Quincy. FL.
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Volume 39 • Number 6 • 2012 • Farm & Ranch News
USDA Releases Agroforestry Guide for Farmers,
Woodland Owners; Handbook Shows Ways to Better Manage Their Lands and Boost Profits
Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan has released a firstof-its-kind practical agroforestry handbook that contains information to help establish, manage and market agroforestry projects that are profitable and sustainable over time. The handbook, Profitable Farms and Woodlands, is written for underserved and limited resource farmers and woodland owners living in the Southeast and includes five main agroforestry practices: alley cropping, forest farming, riparian buffer strips, silvopasture and windbreaks. “Profitable Farms and Woodlands will help landowners make good
use of their land in terms of making prof its but also as land stewards,” Merrigan said. “Our emphasis on agroforestry helps focus on job creation, increasing rural prosperity, support local and regional food systems, and helps to guide stewardship of working farms and forests.” Agroforestry is a unique land management approach for farms, ranches and woodlands that intentionally combines agriculture and forestry to create integrated and sustainable land-use systems. Among the information in the book are simple explanations of how growing medicinal plants, mushrooms or cultivating bee products can help landowners become part of a multi-billion dollar industry. In Georgia, for example, a forest farmer can grow goldenseal and earn $6,500 an acre. Or an 800-log shiitake business can reap roughly $6,000 per year. Other information focuses on re
Volume 39 • Number 6 • 2012 • Farm & Ranch News
sponsible landownership through the use of windbreaks and riparian buffers. Riparian buffers can help a farmer save money or even earn added income because the buffers help protect water quality, improve food and cover for wildlife and fish, and can even be designed to grow profitable products such as berries, nut crops, and timber. Each practice in the book is brought to life through success stories, including that of Frances and Will Powers of Oconee County, Ga., who faced losing their family farm but are now successful fourth-generation farmers. Landowner focus group sessions in Birmingham, Ala., and in Atlanta led to the development of the free handbook which is a collaborative effort of a team of agroforestry specialists from the 1890 and 1862 Land Grant Universities and the USDA National Agroforestry Center, led by the 1890 Agroforestry Consortium. The Agroforestry Center is a partnership of the U.S. Forest Service and Natural
Resources Conservation Service. “Resource professionals and small farmers and woodland owners in the Southeast have been yearning for a practical, easy to read agroforestry handbook,” said Richard Straight, the U.S. Forest Service lead agroforester for the USDA National Agroforestry Center. “This handbook will do just that. Beginning farmers and woodland owners will find this handbook very helpful, especially the ‘Basics’ section for each of the five practices.” Straight credits Joshua Idassi for initiating the idea for the book and for his work in the development of the finished product. Idassi is technical coordinator and a natural resources specialist at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. A limited number of hard copies of the 85-page handbook are available upon request for use in agroforestry training and landowner workshops. Contact the National Agroforestry Center for more information.
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Volume 39 • Number 6 • 2012 • Farm & Ranch News