Mike Joyner, Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture for Florida, visited the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication at the University of Florida and spoke about current and emerging issues affecting Florida agriculture.
Joyner, a Wedgworth Leadership Institute Class I alumni, spoke of the challenges facing Florida agriculture, the top three being issues centered around nutrition, energy, and water. Joyner referred to issues centered around nutrition as being a “legacy issue.”
Steps that University of Florida and the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) are taking to address the nutrition issue include a heavy dependence upon IFAS extension. Programs such as “Gardening for Grades” and “Fresh Fruit Thursdays” are strategies that IFAS, along with state and local governments, are implementing to ensure Florida leaves a lasting, positive “legacy.”
Among the issues presented by Joyner were also concerns about pests and diseases, issues all too familiar to Florida farmers, particularly with the devastation from citrus greening and canker.
Joyner also spoke about issues concerning food safety, and immigration laws, highlighting Florida farmers’ need for immigrant labor during harvest seasons.
“There will always be a need for workers from outside of this country.”
Joyner concluded by stating that teamwork, such as that shown in addressing nutrition issues, was essential to positive progress towards solutions.
“We have to think about how we [IFAS, Florida Department of Agriculture] can work closer together.”
A big thank you to Mike Joyner for giving up some of his time to hep educate and spread the word about agricultural issues within the state of Florida!
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