FIELD AND GROVE MAGAZINE
Profiling Southwest Florida’s Agribusiness Community

By Cindy Cutright   Tue, Jan 27, 2009

That extensive varieties of fruits and vegetables are commercially grown in Florida is hardly news to anyone. Everything from avocados to watermelons are planted, cultivated and harvested as one growing season flows into another, adding billions of dollars to the state's economy. But most probably don't know that a select few research facilities, vital to generating new or better varieties of vegetables, are located right here in Southwest Florida.

Sakata Seed America, Inc. maintains a 125 acre 'warm crop' research station in Lee County. Seventy of those acres are currently being utilized as huge test plots where plants are both nurtured and evaluated. The facility opened in 1994 and employs fifteen people dedicated to developing, through research, healthier and more disease-resistant varieties of peppers, tomatoes and watermelons.

Relentless pathology testing, vigilance, and patience are paramount throughout each development phase. "It takes three and a half to five years before a new pepper variety becomes commercially viable," said Sakata's local pepper breeder, Dr. Mary Riley. "And in some cases it might take as long as ten years."

The process can be painstaking work, but also rewarding. "I like looking at the new varieties in the spring to see what I created during the previous fall," she said. "But the batting average is low. You might get one good product out of a hundred."

Riley, who received her PH.D. from New Mexico State, frequently travels back and forth to Mexico chronicling a variety's development from seed to the plant stage, and finally as a full-fledged vegetable. She says her job pays off when a newer, more disease-resistant pepper is brought to the market and made available to growers. "The cost to the grower is going up," Riley pointed out. "It’s the grower that takes the most risk." 

The desire to breed vegetables that are disease-resistant never ends according to Rodney Robideaux, Technical Development Representative for Seminis. The company, a division of Monsanto, is the largest developer of vegetable seeds in the world. Seminis is building a new facility in Felda and has 200 plus acres in Southwest Florida where peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers are actively bred.

Once a new variety is developed, Robideaux, a graduate of the University of Florida with fifteen years of agricultural research experience, explained it is his job to, “bridge research and sales. I have to see if the produce is a good commercial fit."

Clearly market viability is an important qualifier. "A lot is being invested in the research of vegetable crops," Robideaux stated. "In my position I do a lot of promotion. And to actually see something you've worked on for two or three years come to market is rewarding. But if it’s not a benefit to the growers, they won't use it."

While it's important to have a good working relationship with the growers for any number of reasons, one is vital to product development. "Most of the growers are big", Robideaux explained, "so they allow seed companies to use their fields in trials."

Growers can then scrutinize product development right along with the seed company, and Robideaux certainly knows what catches a grower's eye. "Appearance is primary in vegetables," he said. "Yield and appearance go hand in hand."

But the creation of a vegetable with all the bells and whistles that a grower wants and needs can only be accomplished through the development of a hybrid variety and at great cost to the seed company. Its no wonder that breeding and seed production have become highly competitive and the keys to unlocking hybrid varieties are so tightly guarded.

Robideaux said that virtually all pepper and tomato vareties are hybrids and as such, become the intellectual property of the company that breeds them. "Seminis actually patents its hybrid seeds," he stated, "as well as the parental lines."

Both Riley and Robideaux agree that a concern shared within the industry is the ongoing loss of agricultural land to outside sources such as development. The temptation to sell can be great to a land owner, especially in a bad year, because while other types of farming are subsidized by the government, vegetable farming is not.

So it might behoove all of us, while strolling through the produce isle of the grocery store, to give some thought to the years of dedication, trials, and millions of dollars it takes to bring those vegetables to tables around the world. And let's not forget the very important part Southwest Florida and its 'Top Seeds' play in that process.  

By Tina Giufre   Wed, Jan 28, 2009

The earthy smell of potatoes permeates the air in the Troyer Brothers packinghouse. People and machines work together to get potatoes, freshly harvested from nearby fields, into 50-pound bags and onto pallets. Forklifts move quickly from packinghouse to loading dock, loading pallets of those 50-pound bags into a trailer that will soon make the long trek to Canada.

 It’s potato harvest time in Florida. 

Aaron Troyer, 31, oversees operations for Troyer Brothers Florida, Inc., a family-owned business in southeast Fort Myers, located off State Road 82.  

“We’ve been here since 1983,” he said. “My father and uncles came down here from Pennsylvania. My grandfather and his brother started the farm up there in 1943. That’s where the seed farm is. My uncles go up there but we have someone, a very trusted person, who takes care of that part of the business for us.”   

Troyer, his father, David, and uncles, Don and Vern, work about 2,000 acres of land in Southwest Florida to produce about 50 million pounds of potatoes annually. Those potatoes are sold and shipped in Florida and across the U.S. and Canada. Some under the Troyer Brothers’ Sun King label, some are private labeled for grocery stores such as Publix and Winn Dixie.  

Troyer Brothers, one of Florida’s top potato producers, employs about 25 people full-time, year-round and as many as 90 people during harvest season, which runs from February through the end of April.  

Troyer grew up in the family business and went on to attend Eastern Mennonite University in Virginia, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics. He continued his education at the University of Florida and obtained two master’s degrees in agribusiness and agribusiness economics. He brings his education and knowledge of the latest technology to the family business. 

“As the next generation, I think you have to bring a different way of looking at things,” Troyer said. “Troyer Brothers has always been innovative.” 

That point is demonstrated by the young woman sitting at a table in the packinghouse, entering data into a laptop computer. Also, the Troyer Brothers’ tractors use lasers to level the fields before planting. And the packing line is dominated by an optical sorter, a large computerized machine that digitally scans each potato in a fraction of a second as it goes through the machine on rollers. 

“Labor’s very expensive,” Troyer explained. “We need to get more productivity per person. That’s why we bought the optical sorter. It replaced over 20 people.” 

The sorter scans each potato and sorts by size, color, imperfections on the skin – the computer allows a myriad of settings. The sorter separates the potatoes and they continue on a conveyor, where people grade and sort them before they are packed into bags.  

Growing potatoes in Florida is very different from how they are grown in northern areas. In the north, planting occurs in spring and harvest time is in the fall. In Florida, seed potatoes are planted in the fall and harvested from February through April.  

“Florida is too wet and hot in the summer to grow potatoes,” Troyer explained. “And we don’t water them from above, instead, we use a flood seep type of watering to bring the water table up and make the soil wet.”  

The recent cold snap in Southwest Florida did not have a major negative effect on this season’s crop, Troyer said. But the spike in popularity of low-carb diets in 2003 and 2004 did make a dent in sales.

“That was bad. There was noticeably less demand.” Troyer added with a smile, “Let’s hope that doesn’t happen again.” 

The current economy is not a major problem for Troyer Brothers, either.  

“Potatoes have good food value. You can feed a lot of people for not a lot of money,” Troyer said.  

That affordable staple of the American diet will keep Troyer Brothers farms in business for years to come. 

By Staff   Tue, Jan 27, 2009

The classroom is a great place to tweak the interest of youngsters interested in our state's agriculture and the Florida Department of Agriculture found a terrific way to do just that.

The department instituted a Florida Agriculture Literacy Day, which in its sixth year, is scheduled to be held March 24 in classrooms across the state. A special children's book published for just this occasion, "These Florida Farms", was written and illustrated (respectively) by the department's own Gary Seamans and Mike Wright.

Hundreds of volunteers are invited to take part in this delightful classroom exercise by reading "These Florida Farms" to the students. It’s a wonderful opportunity to pass along an affinity for the land and an appreciation for the hard work needed to make agriculture a thriving state-wide business.

Proceeds from sales of the Florida, "Ag Tag", makes all this possible. These funds are used to acquire the books, lessons and bookmarks that are provided to the agriculture industry volunteers. An "Ag Tag" purchase also aids in awarding teacher and volunteer grant money, helping to sponsor county workshops and sending teachers and administrators to the National Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) Conference. The "Ag Tag" can be purchased at your local tag office or online.

For more information or to register to volunteer your services visit Florida Ag in the Classroom's website www.agtag.org. The deadline to register to read on Florida Agriculture Literacy Day is March 13.

By Staff   Tue, Jan 27, 2009

 This is the second year Miami-Dade County has hosted the agri-business event which drew a larger than expected crowd of 20,000 last year. Attendees hailed from several countries including Brazil, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Ecuador. All came to see what our state's breeders and producers have to offer.

Florida's livestock and agricultural products took center stage when some seventy breeders participated as well as numerous equipment manufacturers and ag producers. The show received international acclaim and is now slated to become an annual event.

This year's show promises to be even larger and Florida's diverse agriculture products will once again be showcased. A variety of beef cattle breed shows are planned for the following breeds: Angus, Brangus, Hereford, Limousin, Santa Gertrudis, Shorthorn and Simmental. In addition, an ABBA sanctioned Brahman show will also be held.

Equestrian activities are scheduled including a Peruvian Horse Show and a South Florida Reining Horse Association demonstration. And a wide variety of vendor displays featuring breeding and genetics technology, equipment and services will round out an impressive array of exhibits.

Sat, Jan 31, 2009

How Sweet It Is! The Florida Strawberry Festival will be held in Plant City February 26 through March 8. All eleven days are devoted to - you guessed it - everything strawberry. The festival will feature an assortment of livestock and agricultural exhibits, rides, games and some great talent. Unfortunately, the Taylor Swift Concert is SOLD OUT. Go to www.flastrawberryfestival.com for the full lineup.

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Four outstanding individuals, recognized for their contributions to Florida agriculture, will be inducted into the Florida Agriculture Hall of Fame on February 10, during the state fair in Tampa. They are: Dr. James Griffiths of Winter Haven (deceased), Richard Kelly of Tallahassee (deceased), Kay Richardson of Evinston and Mason Smoak of Lake Placid (deceased). This is the 31st annual awards ceremony for the Florida Agriculture Hall of Fame. Visit www.flaghalloffame.com for more information.

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The USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that the sign-up period for the 2005-2007 Crop Disaster Program (CDP) will end February 27, 2009. The ending date of February 27 applies to the receipt of a signed and completed FSA0840 application along with all supporting documentation and required forms at the applicable county FSA office. Sign up information and forms are available at each county FSA office. Applications filed late will not be approved after the February 27 deadline. All application determinations will be made by March 27, 2009. For further questions about CDP and the sign-up deadline, producers may contact their FSA office or visit FSA's website at www.fsa.usda.gov.

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The Florida's Nursery Growers and Landscape Association (FNGLA) is seeking nominations for awards recognizing outstanding members who so unselfishly volunteer their time to further the industry's cause. The FNGLA represents Florida's environmental horticulture industry with an estimated $15.2 billion in industry-wide sales. For information and awards nomination forms go to www.fngla.org.

Sat, Jan 31, 2009

ENJOY!

This is a great time of year to make the most of delicious Florida tomatoes. Here is a quick and easy recipe provided by our friends at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Yum Yum!

GRILLED TOMATO MARINADE

1 teaspoon Florida garlic, minced

1 tablespoon shallot or Florida onion, minced

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar

2 Florida tomatoes cut into 1/2 inch thick slices

Cracked pepper and salt to taste

Combine all ingredients except tomatoes in a bowl. Lay tomatoes on a baking pan, then drizzle sauce over them. Grill on medium heat for one minute on each side. Serve.

Yield: 4 servings

Per serving: Calories 77, fat 7g

Carbohydrates 4g, Protein 1g

Sat, Jan 31, 2009

Welcome to the first issue of FIELD AND GROVE MAGAZINE. I invite you to settle in and make yourself at home as we explore Southern Florida's agri-business community in this and future issues. FIELD AND GROVE is a unique publication for two reasons. The magazine is dedicated to covering agriculture in the ten southern most counties of our state comprising Southeast and Southwest Florida, and because it is being published online.   

I have to admit that not too long ago I would never have considered publishing online. I always thought 'publishing' was synonymous with the heavy smell of industrial strength ink and the permanent smudges it left on a new white blouse or a favorite jacket, or regrettably both. Those were the sacrifices; I would tell myself (while tossing the jacket out in the trash) that one made to be part of the 'Moveable Type Club' begun back in 1439 by what I suspect now was a really grimy Johannes Gutenberg. Yes, I was in good company. 

But all that has changed now. Progress is progress. The tenacity of Gutenberg has been replaced by the brilliance of Gates. I no longer question how Johannes mastered the first printing press. I'd much rather know how to resize a photo without losing it to some black hole never to be seen again. No matter. There are an endless number of competent people who are willing to help me recover it from that secret vortex buried deep within one of my computer's drives. I don't know which one. I don't care. I only know that while I may occasionally lose a photo from time to time (as all the technically-challenged do), I have not lost one single piece of clothing to this new technology.

So as you can see, publishing FIELD AND GROVE online each month will be an adventure for more reasons than one. And, not that Johannes would care, but a nice feature of this website is that each issue of FIELD AND GROVE MAGAZINE is printable. You can print the magazine just by clicking on 'print this issue' found on the Front Page (for everyone over 30) or the Home Page (for everyone under 30). Please contact me with ideas for articles, profiles or issues you would like to see us tackle. We're more than happy to accommodate your requests.

And just so you'll know, I carry my boots in the car, love the smell of orange blossoms in the spring, and think nothing looks prettier than a newly planted field in the morning. I truly am an "Ag Head".

Cindy Cutright, Publisher

Sat, Jan 31, 2009

When thinking of ag art, one tends to conjure up the image of an old, large, livestock barn, listing ever so slightly to the south in deference to the unrelenting assault of a brisk northern wind. In our mind's eye the barn is always wooden and always red and equally important, the paint is always faded. But the words, 'Mail Pouch Tobacco', are still visible and we don’t even care that they further an advertising message that may not be politically correct today. 

But this is Americana art at its finest. It harkens back to a day when a barn was also a billboard and a rough-hewn piece of wood, nailed to a sturdy fence post, became what is now referred to in the world of advertising as an on-site directional sign: BOILED P-NUTS turn right!.

Back then, function, form and art conspired to sell the occasional passerby corn seed, or cattle feed or dog food or some other commodity that through its importance to the rural community, became vital to the rest of us. 

This month I selected an old Dixie Lily sign found painted on the side of a trailer that used to bring the company's products to the marketplace. Dixie Lily started in Plant City, Florida and continues to market its foods as a "Southern Tradition since 1933". One glimpse of the comprehensive product list does not disappoint. Grits, blackeye peas and lima beans more than hint at the "southern flavor" Dixie Lily foods impart. The Dixie Lily brand still thrives though the company was purchased last year by China Doll Rice and Beans, Inc.

I invite all our readers to send photos of ag art they encounter in their travels to cindy@fieldandgrove.com. Be sure and include a name and address for the photo credit. Everyone who submits a photo will receive a much coveted FIELD AND GROVE MAGAZINE mug.