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Feb
16
2012
Strawberry producers bring pride to Plant City
Gary WishnatzkiGary Wishnatzki is the third-generation president and CEO of Wish Farms, a large produce grower and shipper in Plant City, Fla. Gary is currently on the board of directors for the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, Redlands Christian Migrant Association and a Gubernatorial appointment to the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council. In addition, he participates in a working group for the Produce Traceability Initiative. From 20006-2009, Gary served on the Federal Reserve Bank Small Business Agriculture and Labor Advisory Board for the Atlanta branch. He led several innovations at Wish Farms, including the development of proprietary methods of growing
Feb
02
2012
New formula shows flavored milk can be healthy, still taste great
Dale McClellan A lifelong dairy farmer, Dale is president of M & B Products in Tampa. M & B opened in June 1977 as a dairy farm and expanded to milk and juice processing and packaging in June 1987. Before M & B, Dale spent any available nights and weekends at Sunny Brook Dairy, his grandparents’ dairy farm and milk processing plant. M & B Products focuses juice and dairy products for schools, hospitals, senior services, prisons and other institutions. (Photo by Ron O’Conner/Florida Farm Credit) Given the choice between flavored milk (chocolate or strawberry) and white milk, which would
Jan
12
2012
FDACS’ collaboration with schools, farmers eases transfer
Adam PutnamStarting his second year as Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture, Adam Putnam leads the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Previously, he served five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and spent four years in the Florida House of Representatives. Having grown up in the citrus and cattle industry, Putnam graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree from the Department of Food Resource and Economics. On January 1, the state’s school food and nutrition programs transferred to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. In this new role, we’re focused on improving the nutritional
Dec
28
2011
In wake of contaminated product, best reaction is to recall
laurabernheim Blog, Guest Bloggers 0
Richard StephensRichard Stephens is the Recall Coordinator and Lab Liaison for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Division of Food Safety. He has been with the department for six years – two in his current position, and four as a microbiologist in the division’s Food Safety Lab. He received his B.S. in Marine Biology from the University of West Florida. Upon graduation, he spent two month’s at sea aboard the Nathanial B. Palmer as part of a NSF grant to study UV exposure related DNA degradation on marine microorganisms. Prior to coming to FDACS, he worked for the
Dec
14
2011
Food recalls, allergies can dampen holiday spirit
laurabernheim Guest Bloggers 0
Karen BlakesleeKaren Blakeslee is an Extension Associate with K-State Research and Extension and is coordinator of the Rapid Response Center. She helps coordinate the Master Food Volunteer program, she teaches food safety, food science, food preparation and food preservation. She also teaches food preservation, ServSafe, Food Judges training and manage several websites. With a B.S. in Food Science and a M.S. in Foods and Nutrition, Karen has about 12 years in the food industry and 11 years with K-State Research and Extension. The holidays are here and gift giving is on everyone’s mind. Gifts of homemade goodies or favorite candies
Oct
26
2011
Influencing Public Perceptions of The Gator Nation
goodwin.4 Guest Bloggers 0
Dan WilliamsAs the Director of Marketing at the University of Florida, Dan is responsible for all marketing and communications activities and initiatives. Three years after graduating from the University of Florida with a degree in advertising, he founded an advertising agency in Gainesville with two partners. He has an extensive background in advertising, branding and strategic planning, and has served as president, chief executive officer and chief creative officer for several advertising agencies. While in Colorado, he became an avid skier and mountain climber, summitting more than 50 of the highest peaks in the U.S. We all hold certain beliefs
Oct
12
2011
Are there water words that work??
goodwin.4 Guest Bloggers 2
Staci BraswellAs Director of Government and Community Affairs, Staci’s represents Florida Farm Bureau Federation on public policy issues impacting the areas of water, land use, growth management and natural resources. She is a graduate of the University of Florida’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and Fredric G. Levin College of Law as well as the UF/IFAS Natural Resources Leadership Institute and the Wedgworth Leadership Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources. Prior to joining Florida Farm Bureau, Staci was a prosecutor for the Florida Department of Health, appearing before the Board of Medicine and Board of Nursing Home Administrators on
Sep
07
2011
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is NOT dead!
kevin.kent Guest Bloggers 0
Joel BockorasJoel Bockoras is a web developer with The Market Place, a web design and video production company serving the agriculture industry. I’ve seen a few articles and blog posts lately that suggest SEO is dead or dying, but I offer a different hypothesis; evolution. For the uninitiated, SEO is a webmaster’s way of telling search engines what they can find on your site, so they can in turn “serve up” your site’s pages in search results. It was, and still is, a competitive way of optimizing your web site, so that it will be seen by those using search engines.
Feb
02
2011
Think Before You Speak
kevin.kent Blog, Guest Bloggers 0
Lisa LochridgeLisa Lochridge serves as director of the Public Affairs Division, managing FFVA’s communication with its members and the media on topics ranging from food safety to immigration reform. Specializing in media relations and crisis communication, Lochridge came to FFVA in 2006 after serving as vice president of CBR Public Relations in Orlando. Prior to that, she was a veteran journalist, holding numerous local news editor positions at the Orlando Sentinel for 21 years. A Florida native, Lochridge holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in communication from the University of Central Florida. “Be careful what you
Jan
11
2011
A New Chapter in Florida Agriculture
kevin.kent Blog, Guest Bloggers 0
Hannah CarterBefore becoming director of the Wedgworth Leadership Institute and an assistant professor at the University of Florida, Hannah was in the first class of doctoral students in UF’s Department of Agricultural Education and Communication. In addition to teaching undergraduate- and graduate-level courses, she conducts leadership workshops and presentations throughout the country for various organizations and industries. We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day. ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce It is the new year and resolutions have been