Cows absolved of causing global warming with nitrous oxide

Cows absolved of causing global warming with nitrous oxide
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/climatechange/7564682/Cows-absolved-of-causing-global-warming-with-nitrous-oxide.html

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New Highlands County Citrus Growers Association President Charlie Wilson speaks to the 300 members and guests attending the Association's Annual Meeting on February 18th.

This well known leader has recently been elected to serve as the President of the Highlands County Citrus Growers Association for the next year, so congratulations to Charlie!

February Class VII seminar: Catching up

A good time was had by during our Feb. 5-6 seminar when members of Class VII got together at the Florida State Fair. We had a wonderful dinner at The Columbia restaurant in Ybor City, a nice morning of programming (wouldn't be WLI without programming) from Dr. Carter, and then a windy but fun afternoon at the Florida State Fair. We capped it off with an evening at Crystal Springs Preserve, complete with dinner and a roaring bonfire. It was great to see everyone again, and we missed those who weren't able to make it because of family and other obligations. I hope we have a solid turnout for the WLI Alumni Association event in Orlando Aug. 13-15. Check out the photos from the weekend on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/photo_search.php?oid=21413292283&view=user

"Someday" thinking

I would love to see the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National Park, and someday I will. And New England, too ... someday. Plus I have a whole bookcase of cookbooks with recipes I've earmarked that I'm planning to cook. Someday.

Are you a "someday thinker," as I tend to be? I've realized recently that I can't really afford to have that mindset. A program I'm participating in, "One Month to Live," (http://www.onemonthtolive.com/), points out that the things we think are important are the things we should be spending our time on. (And my health is just fine, thank you.) Yes, the car has to be maintained, we should be working out, and oh yes - there are bills to pay. But we need to be living life deliberately, and we need to be doing it now.

That goes to every facet of our life, including our responsibilities as leaders. We talked a lot about what's next for us as WLI alumni once the Class VII program ended. Florida agriculture can't afford for us to be involved someday. What's on your list of leadership "somedays," and what's stopping you from getting started now?

Where are you today?

It seems like yesterday I was driving to the Clewiston Inn with Ady for my interview into a program I had no idea about and walking in, not knowing a soul and not really expecting to get selected. I would have never thought two and a half years later some of the people in that room I would consider friends and that I would miss once the program was over. The support group is there...all we need to do is pick up the phone, send an email or maybe even send a message through Facebook. Sometimes we don't make the time because we are too busy and we will get to it later.

Two years of programming perfectly carved by Dr. Hannah Carter, Rochelle Stickland, Janice Barner and the great support of the WLIANR alumni to then step out and look at our community, industry, Florida, the US and for that matter the rest of the world in a totally different way. I enjoyed it so much and now I want to see it in a different perspective. A business point of view. Prior to leaving to China, I applied for an Executive MBA program at FIU not really thinking I would get accepted. (There is a pattern ya think!) While Sandy and I were at the Dallas airport ready to go home, I receive an email on my Blackberry (need to thank the program for allowing me to embrase techology) and I was granted an interview that Thursday. The program at FIU is a 16 month cohort where I start with the 35 people and hopefully will graduate with the same 35. There is an international trip to India and we are the guinea pigs to a leadership portion of the program at the end. (Nothing close to what we had.)

I have stepped back from some of my previous responsibilities to concentrate on my family, business and school. Times have been challenging no doubt! Business is slow and it has taught us to micromanage and correct our productivity. Working the family business is sometimes difficult because my dad does not want to take risks and try new things. We have the clientele that will support us and after some give and takes, cold issues we are taking it to the next step. Baby steps...and I know we are going in the right direction.

As for school...wow!! My brain hurts! They are making me think in ways I never dreamed of and seeing things from a different perspective. I am looking at my enviroment totally different. Our international trip will consist our groups being consultants of a firm and help them trouble shoot issues.

The family...Ady and D are great. D will be bridging to the Boy Scouts this year. If you want to know more...drop me a line. This was a New Years trip to Boone, NC.

So, where are you today? Fill us in with what you have been up to!!

HUGZ,
Jorge

Happy New Year!

The beginning of a new year is often a time for us to reflect on where we’ve been and what we’ve accomplished in the past year, and set new directions for where we hope to go and what we hope to achieve in the year ahead. As leaders, this often includes an assessment of our personal growth, and how we can improve ourselves to better serve others.

As our world and the agriculture industry is quickly changing around us, we have a responsibility as leaders to keep up with these changes to play an active role in shaping policy or communicating about potential impacts when necessary. Having a set of go-to resources with accurate, up-to-date information is one of the best ways to stay on top of local, state, national and international news and industry changes.

I recently asked you all to cue me in on the resources you use regularly to stay current with industry issues, events and happenings. The following is a collection of the resources most cited by you and your fellow Wedgworth Alumni as regular reads. If you’re looking for something to add to your reading list or personal growth plan in 2010, here are a few ideas!

Periodicals

• Florida Trend
• FloridAgriculture
• Forbes
• The Economist
• American Nurseryman
• Ornamental Outlook
• National Geographic
• Smithsonian

Newspapers

• Wall Street Journal
• Orlando Business Journal
• Palm Beach Post
• Tampa Tribune
• The Packer
• Orlando Sentinel
• The Apopka Chief
• The NY Times

Websites

• FoxNews.com
• CNN.com
• drudge.com
• tallahasseedemocrat.com
• Gatorsports.com
• Google Alerts

Books

• John Adams
• Joker One
• Broken for You
• People of the Book
• My Utmost for His Highest
• Into the Wild
• You Can't Fire Me, I'm Your Father

Organizational Information

• FFVA Newsletter and Daily Updates
• Florida Citrus Mutual
• Florida Farm Bureau Legislative Requests and Updates
• DEP News Releases
• Highlands Co. Citrus Growers Newsletter and Email Updates
• Sod Growers Coop Alerts
• FNGLA Updates
• ANLA Newsletter
• Ornamental Outlook

Other

• WSJ Podcasts
• My-Cast Weather Center
• ICSC SmartBrief
• Facebook

Happy New Year, happy reading and all the best for a fabulous 2010!

Crystal Mathews