EMERGING TIMES …growing toward the future Volume 8 • Issue 3 | February 2019 SOUTH PRODUCTION

CONTENTS

J&J operates amid development pressure ..... 2 A. Duda & Sons continues to build a legacy...... 2 Bedner’s Farm Fresh Market offers education, homegrown produce...... 3 Lettuce powerhouse TKM Bengard continues to excel...... 4 Teamwork, passion Class 8 members on their production tour of South Florida. This stop was at Lake evident in success of Okeechobee in Belle Glade. Left to right: Tiffany Dale, Florida Growers Hundley Farms...... 5 Association; Brittany Hubbard, S&L Beans; Alison Sizemore, Sizemore Farms; Juan David Castro-Anzola, PGIM Real Estate Finance; Cathleen Conley, A. Duda & Sons; Nick Growers working together Wishnatzki, Wish Farms; Jake Brown, Tater Farms; Chris Campbell, Lipman Family Farms; isn’t such a corny idea...... 6 Josh Griffin, Grimes Produce Company; Zach Langford, Syngenta Crop Protection; Cooper Hopkins, Hundley Farms; Justin Newsome, Bayer CropScience; Breanna Lawyer, Corteva Satisfying our Agriscience; and tour stop host Eric Hopkins, Hundley Farms. sweet tooth...... 6 Tour of Southern Gardens Citrus shows casualties Thank you to these sponsors for the South Florida production tour: of citrus greening...... 7 Southern Gardens juice is worth the squeeze...... 8 Florida’s Natural Growers Foundation (Bus) Florida says, ‘We produce rice, too!’...... 9

Farm Credit of Florida and Ashley Layson Tour sheds light on sugar (Dinner) processing from grinding to raw ‘Sugar Mountain’....10

Glades Formulating and Frankie Montalvo Sunshine Sweet Corn (Dinner) Farmers work together for good of the industry...... 11

Sunshine Sweet Corn Farmers of Florida ELDP News...... 12 (Lunch)

Bedner Growers Inc. (Lunch)

SUSTAINING SPONSOR 2 | Emerging Times • February 2019

J&J operates amid development pressure

agriculture, and it was evident when also has diversified as a grower agent Class 8 visited with Shane Rogers (ELDP in the Southeastern and By Tiffany Dale Class 7) and Peter Hamburg during our procures in Mexico and Canada, allow- Florida Strawberry Florida production trip in January. ing them to diversify their operation. Growers Association During our tour with Rogers and As the residential area surrounding the Hamburg, Class 8 learned how J&J con- farm continues to boom, it is my hope tinues to operate despite the pressures the neighbors recognize the gems that arming in the Loxahatchee area is of farming, especially in a high-value exist in the fields in their backyards. no easy task. J&J Family of Farms residential area. J&J Family of Farms Fis no stranger to issues such as began as a produce brokerage house trade, consumer preferences, retailer in 1983 and now produces more than demands, and labor. To add to those 10 varieties of bell peppers, such as the pressures, developers are building Sunny Sweet Pepper, and other pro- million-dollar homes adjacent to the duce. J&J works to ensure a high-quality farms in Loxahatchee. Although the product and options through special- challenges are many, J&J Family of ized packaging sizes and value-added Farms stays on the forefront of the choices for its customers. Although the industry, meeting consumer demands Florida pepper market still faces grave and navigating policy issues to compete competition from Mexico, J&J contin- in the market. J&J Family of Farms is a ues to expand its options and offer a true testament of dedication to Florida quality product. J&J Family of Farms A. Duda & Sons continues to build a legacy Perry Yance, were a strong is located in the Everglades palletized and transport- team who began a small Agricultural Area, where ed the final product for By Juan David farm operation. With pas- the soil is rich in organic warehouse distribution to Castro-Anzola sion, hard work, vision, and matter – optimal for the customers. Although a large PGIM Real great ambition they built production of vegetables number of people still work Estate Finance an impressive agricultural and sugar cane. The tour during the harvest season, enterprise with operations included a visit to the celery they also use a harvesting lass 8 had the unique in Florida, , Texas, harvest operation, where machine built specifically opportunity to visit Arizona, and Jones and Yance shared for the celery operation. CA. Duda & Sons’ op- . They are widely some insights into celery More of this new technol- eration in Belle Glade. More known for the production production and harvesting ogy may be used in the than 90 years ago, a father of vegetables – mainly at their 1,500-acre field. future to gain efficiencies in and his three sons began celery, sweet corn and According to Jones, man- the operation and mitigate building what is today one radishes – as well as sugar aging an operation of labor shortages, Jones said. of the most successful and cane, citrus and sod. In this scale requires a great It’s not every day that diversified agribusinesses in addition, Duda owns The level of communication and you find an agribusiness the United States. Viera Company, a large coordination. The celery company such as A. Duda The Duda brothers, as real estate company that harvesting crew made this & Sons that continues to explained by assistant farm is an integral part of their complex task appear to evolve and build a legacy manager Sam Jones and non-agricultural business. be an easy job as they cut, in farming for future Belle Glade farm manager Duda’s Belle Glade farm washed, packed, stacked, generations. 3 | Emerging Times • February 2019

Bedner’s Farm Fresh Market offers education, homegrown produce

By Cathleen Conley A. Duda & Sons

laying host to 13,000 to 15,000 visitors a year, from kindergart- Pners to members of the Red Hat Society, Bedner’s Farm Fresh Market in Boynton Beach is a unique local staple that offers field trips, private parties, U-Pick fruits and vegetables, and a fresh market with homegrown and locally sourced produce. The 80-acre property, a fraction of the estimated 1,200 acres farmed by the Bedner fami- ly in South Florida, features 35 different crops such as , peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes. “Bedner’s Farm Fresh Market has created a community connection,” says Marie Bedner, operations manag- er. “We take great pride in being one of the few remaining family-owned and operated farms in South Florida.” and Legg also discussed why they Class 8 was treated to a tractor tour grow the produce they do, indicating of the property conducted by Bedner it’s all driven by consumer demands and David Legg, educator. The class and trends. was offered fresh corn and tomato “When you shop at Bedner’s, you samples before receiving an can be certain that you are purchasing interesting produce “show from a safe and reliable food source,” and tell.” Among the items Bedner said. “Come in and give us a showcased, like leafy greens try. You’ll come in as a customer and and celery, was something leave as a friend.” new to many in attendance: Visit bedners.com for more purple cauliflower. Bedner information. 4 | Emerging Times • February 2019

Lettuce powerhouse TKM Bengard continues to excel maximize soil health. TKM Bengard is known By Chris for growing an excellent Campbell crop and meeting the needs Lipman Family Farms of its buyers and proces- sors. It handles the product from planting all the way to uck land, really cooling and packaging for muck land. The buyers/processors (de- Mmuck (as locals pending on how they want call it) is a layer of soil to receive the product). that was deposited from Once the product leaves years of Lake Okeechobee the field and arrives at the draining into southern cooling/packaging opera- Florida. The soil provides tion, it is vacuum-cooled to the perfect growing con- 34-35 degrees Fahrenheit. dition for many crops in Every pallet is tagged with the Everglades Agricultural an eight-digit code and Area. One local company, scanned into inventory. It is TKM Bengard, started out tracked until it is scanned in other muck-growing out and headed to a buyer/ areas in Ohio and Michigan, processor. TKM Bengard has then expanded into South kept up with all the latest Florida in the 1960s. on food safety protocols TKM Bengard is a and is Primus-certified. partnership between TKM Bengard has become the Basore family and a powerhouse for growing the Bengard family in a reputable leafy green California. Together they product and maintaining an have become the largest excellent level of quality. lettuce grower east of the Mississippi. TKM Bengard grows more than 100 million pounds of iceberg lettuce every year along with 15 different varieties of other leafy greens. In the 1990s, the company started selling bagged lettuce on the West Coast. Every five years it rotates off a piece of land to rotate crops and 5 | Emerging Times • February 2019

Teamwork, passion evident in success of Hundley Farms corn is picked mostly by automated they will replant right behind the harvest. harvesters and loaded into bulk trailers. Cabbage and green beans make up the The corn is delivered to Pioneer Growers remaining acres of their farm. By Jake Brown Tater Farms Cooperative, where it is graded, boxed Hopkins said that “teamwork is im- and shipped out to customers. portant.” The co-ops that are in place Hundley Farms’ sugar cane production work well because of the concern that is about 5,000 acres. It is processed by farmers have for each other. This team- undley Farms is a fourth- the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative. work is also reflected in the growers’ generation farming operation in The cane is rotated about every fourth cooperation on their crop rotation. It is HBelle Glade. The farm produces cut, which makes production about not uncommon to ride through an area sweet corn, sugar cane, radishes, green a four-year process. Vegetables are and see different farms represented and beans, rice and cabbage, all of which rotated with the cane for one year and separated only by a ditch or a one-lane is spread out over about 16,000 acres. then the land is put back in cane. dirt road. The teamwork and respect This operation is successful because of Radishes, cabbage and green beans they all have for each other is impressive. hard work and teamwork, which Vice make up the remaining acres of the farm. Hundley Farms is an awesome farming President Eric Hopkins said is key. Hundley Farms is one of three growers of operation. It is easy to see that those in The sweet corn operation takes up radishes east of the Mississippi. Radishes the company are passionate about what about 10,000 acres of production. The are grown in approximately 25 days, so they do and that they love it. 6 | Emerging Times • February 2019

Growers working together isn’t such a corny idea s Vice President and General A Manager Gene By Nick Duff guided Class 8 Wishnatzki Satisfying through the nearly Wish Farms 160,000-square-foot our sweet tooth operation of Pioneer Growers Cooperative in Belle Glade, something stood ugar. It’s in cookies and out clearly to me: the concept of individual growers candy, and we frequent- ly add it to our coffee. By Breanna achieving financial stability and sustainability by work- S Lawyer But many of us don’t think ing together. Across our industry, this is something that Corteva about where it comes from. is far from ubiquitous. This cooperative works well for Agriscience growers because it is governed by growers. Les Baucum, sugar cane Not many people know that Florida is the largest agronomist for U.S. Sugar producer of sweet corn in the nation. Pioneer’s modern Corporation, showed Class 8 just that. facility allows them to market their own product effec- On a rainy day in Belle Glade, U.S. Sugar harvest crews tively and to efficiently handle all post-harvest needs (hy- maneuvered machinery through the nutrient-rich muck soil dro cooling, processing, logistics and more). Their team to get as much cane out of the field as Mother Nature would easily handles between 5 million and 6 million cases of allow. With about 410,000 acres of sugar cane, it has rightfully vegetables a year. Sweet corn is king here, but not too far earned the title of Florida’s largest row crop. And U.S. Sugar is behind are green beans, cabbage and radishes. the nation’s largest producer, turning out 800,000-plus tons With their primary customers being chain stores and of refined sugar each year. Despite common public percep- wholesalers, the cooperative’s operations and sales tion, sugar cane really can be described as one of the most staff is plugged into the ever-expanding value-added environmentally friendly crops. “There is no land use more segment at the retail level. Today’s on-the-go consum- beneficial to the soil than sugar cane,” Baucum said. Minimal ers would rather pick up a pre-washed, ready-to-cook pesticides and fertilizer are used, with the crop harnessing bag or tray. By staying ahead of the curve and keeping much of what it needs from the “gold dirt” it grows in. a firm grasp on trends, Pioneer Growers is well-posi- Typically planted in September, sugar cane has a 12- to tioned to continue sustaining their growers and the 15-month growing season before the first harvest starts cooperative for years to come. in October. That is followed by two more annual harvests before replanting. Before the cane is harvested, controlled burns are done to get rid of dead leaves and trash that would cause unnecessary wear to equipment and increase transportation costs. “U.S. Sugar is the only mill that moves cane by rail,” Baucum said. Transporting harvested cane by railcar cuts down field-to- mill time, allowing for higher juice quality. On top of that, the 120 miles of track cuts down on traffic and increases efficiency. With railcars averaging 40 tons per car and dumping 1,000 cars a day, the mill can receive 40,000 plus tons of cane daily. The next time you satisfy your sweet tooth, know that Florida and U.S. Sugar play a vital role in making that possible. 7 | Emerging Times • February 2019

Tour of Southern Gardens Citrus shows casualties of citrus greening

harvesting and research. Snively de- greening. At one point, its policy was to scribed the aggressive research efforts remove any tree exhibiting symptoms By Alison Sizemore as essential to success in an industry so of HLB. The spread of the disease was Sizemore Farms devastated by citrus greening. so aggressive that Southern Gardens Snively also gave an informative was removing acres of their trees at tour of the grove. Southern Garden’s a time. By 2014, the company real- citrus acreage is divided by variety: ized this tactic was not having good rom Pioneer Growers Cooper- about 40 percent Hamlin and 60 per- results and it ended the tree removal ative, our bus traveled west to cent Valencia. The group witnessed program. Snively discussed other FSouthern Gardens Citrus, where firsthand the symptoms of HLB- strategies to combat the effects of the Operations Vice President Jim Snively infected trees, as greening signs are disease, such as high-density plant- warmly hosted the group for lunch at most evident during the wintertime. ings. “Good soil is the best defense Dunwoody Lodge. The lunch included Snively pointed out the pale leaves, against HLB symptoms,” he said, add- an informative presentation by Snively dead limbs and premature fruit drop. ing that the operation now brings in describing the Southern Gardens Citrus The worst of the trees were located on thousands of pounds of compost each operation. Southern Gardens includes the border of the grove – an effect of season. Southern Gardens has several more than 12,500 acres of citrus in the the citrus psyllid’s habit of landing on promising solutions being developed Clewiston area. The company is com- the first tree it reaches. in its research department, so hope- pletely vertically integrated, including Snively candidly recounted the his- fully the industry will start feeling a citrus nursery, grove caretaking, fruit tory of the company’s battle with citrus relief in the coming seasons. 8 | Emerging Times • February 2019

Southern Gardens juice is worth the squeeze

about 15 million boxes of citrus annu- a zero-percent-waste facility, with ally. The grove division of the company all parts of the orange utilized in the By Justin Newsome produces 30 percent to 40 percent of the juicing process. Oils used in degreasers Bayer CropScience plant’s operating capacity with the rest and cleaners, cattle feed from peel coming from other growers’ operations. solids, and other drink extracts are all These various storage tanks also allow produced at the facility. Southern Gardens to tailor a juice blend The juice industry is not without its wenty-five years ago a dream to meet a customer’s exact specifications challenges as citrus greening contin- became reality as Southern on juice color, acidity and sugar content. ues to present issues. The supply of TGardens citrus opened its juice All of the juice produced at Southern oranges for juicing has driven orange processing plant in Clewiston. “Cus- Gardens is sold to other companies like juice prices up in grocery stores and tomer satisfaction and sustainabil- Tropicana and Florida’s Natural to help demand has slowed as a result. There ity are still our core focus,” said Jim them with their inventories. Every one are also public misconceptions about Snively, vice president of operations, of the 150 truckloads of fruit that are the health effects of drinking orange who directed our tour along with other processed each day during season at the juice on a daily basis. However, South- plant employees. plant undergo strict testing guidelines ern Gardens continues to do its part With 56 1-million-gallon storage tanks to make sure that the fruit is meeting to promote Florida orange juice and in refrigerated warehouses, Southern industry maturity standards. make sure that the public knows that Gardens has the capacity to process Southern Gardens is proud to be its juice is worth the squeeze. 9 | Emerging Times • February 2019

Florida says, ‘We produce rice, too!’

By Carla Aurora de Jesus Rojas Southern Gardens Citrus

he reason rice is so important is because it’s the staple food “Tof about two-thirds of the world’s population.” That’s how Sangeeta Mukhopadhyay and Daniel Cavazos started their presentation on rice pro- duction at Florida Crystals Corporation’s headquarters in Belle Glade. Rice is the single most important food crop in the world, providing 21 percent of the caloric needs of the world. Florida produces rice, and has many good reasons to do so. We learned about rice production, to grow rice: it uses fallow land from very impressive operation that includes its importance to the Everglades sugar cane crops and helps retain white rice, brown rice, medium-grain rice Agricultural Area, and we toured the nutrients in the soil. Flooding during and organic long-grain rice. only rice mill in our state, the Sem-Chi rice production helps reduce weed Even though Florida is well-known Rice Mill. This facility performs drying pressure. In addition, the rice absorbs for growing sugar cane and winter and milling operations. In addition phosphorus, improves water quality vegetables, Florida Crystals is com- to rice from Florida Crystals, it also and creates a habitat for wildlife, there- mitted to expanding their operations processes rice for other local growers. by protecting endangered species. and investing in rice production. They About 80 percent of the rice processed Rice acreage has increased since 2008. are leading the way for rice growers, is their own production and 20 percent Florida Crystals has most of the rice boosting the local economy year- is from other growers. acreage in the area and incorporates rice round as they contribute to economic The EAA growers have many reasons during sugar cane fallow periods in a activity and create jobs.

Before the South Florida production trip, members of Class 8 collected non-perishable food items for the Redlands Christian Migrant Association early childhood education center in Belle Glade. The center’s staff is always very appreciative of the donation of food for the families they serve. 10 | Emerging Times • February 2019

Tour sheds light on sugar processing from grinding to raw ‘Sugar Mountain’

The mill uses the sugar grinding byproducts to create molasses for By Zach Langford cattle feed and as fuel to run the mill. Syngenta Crop We were able to see the raw sugar at Protection “Sugar Mountain,” which was incred- ible to put the whole process in per- spective. One thing that resonated he history of the sugar cane with me was when Goodlett stated industry in Florida dates back on the tour, “Sugar cane is the best Tto the 1940s. The Sugar Cane crop for this area.” Growers Cooperative is made up Our leadership class also toured of 44 growers producing on about the new, state-of-the-art Tellus 70,000 acres. The co-op is responsi- facility next to the mill, which uses ble for harvesting, processing and the bagasse fibers from the milling marketing the crop for the grower process to create plates, bowls and environment. This vertically inte- members. We had the opportunity other foodservice products. The grated facility is managed by Matt to tour the mill and learn about the Tellus facility employs 80 Belle Glade Hoffman, president of Tellus. I gained process of producing raw sugar. residents, and the products produced a much better appreciation for the Senior Vice President David Goodlett are 100 percent U.S. grown and man- overall processing side of the sugar gave the class background on the ufactured. These products are fully cane industry and how the product is industry as well as an extended tour. compostable, which is better for the processed for the end user. 11 | Emerging Times • February 2019

Sunshine Sweet Corn Farmers work together for good of the industry

he Capper-Volstead exchanges, like the Sunshine producing county in the By Act gives farmers Sweet Corn Farmers of world, with the peak season Josh Griffin and agricultural Florida, the opportunity around mid-April to the end Grimes T producers the power to to form. On the final stop of May. The president of the Produce Company market, price and sell their of our production tour, exchange, Paul Allen, and products through cooper- we attended an exchange Vice President John Scott ative means. meeting at which they Hundley both discussed It allows introduced their annual the importance of each budget and their plans on member of the exchange how to market their product truly caring for each other as collectively. they would their own farms, Sunshine Sweet families and employees. Its Corn Farmers of members don’t try to beat Florida consists of the system. They trust each 22 growers and en- other. I did not witness a compasses roughly group of farmers that were 21,000 acres in competition with each for its spring other, but did witness a crop. Palm group of selfless individuals Beach County willing to do their part to is the largest help each other and the sweet corn sweet corn industry succeed. In 2018, the exchange’s budget had a remaining sum of $65,000. As a group, they chose to donate that money back into the community through local charities. One of those orga- nizations that they support, ACE, was introduced during the meeting. ACE (Athletes, Community, Education) is an organization dedicated to providing leadership programs, mentoring, scholarships, and internship opportunities to high school students. This is a testament to how the exchange truly cares for its community, its industry and its future. 12 | Emerging Times • February 2019

ELDP News 1 2 1 Dr. Elizabeth Malek (Class 1) recently was promoted to crop protection assistant manager at Lipman Family Farms.

2 Grace Elizabeth Allen was born to Jonathan Allen (Class 2) and Andrea Scott on Nov. 13, 2018. She was 9 pounds, 8 ounces and 22.5 inches long.

3 Candi and Clayton Norman (Class 4) welcomed Brooks Norman on Dec. 21, 2018. His big brother is Beau.

4 Daniel Bott (Class 4), production manager at Premier Citrus Management, graduated with his MBA from Florida Southern College in December. 3

5 Kevin Yue, PE, CEP (Class 5) has been appointed lead engineer for the South Florida Water Management District in the Big Cypress Basin.

6 Emily Duda Buckley (Class 6) was named legislative affairs director for newly elected Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried. 4 7 Jennifer Lytch (Class 1) of Crop Vitality was interviewed along with two agronomists during an hour-long, live Feb. 4 RFD-TV broadcast. They spoke about the 4R Program, soil health, liquid fertilizers, and the importance of nutrients.

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