Florida's "This Farm CARES" Program
With your Southeast Regional Ag Report, I'm Trevor Williams.Farmers and ranchers are some of the original environmental stewards, working the land day in and day out to provide for their families and communities. Now they are being recognized by the Florida Farm Bureau for following best management practices to reduce the environmental impact and improving some of Florida's most precious resources.
Florida Farm Bureau's This Farm CARES program was started back in 2019 and recognizes Florida farmers who practice Best Management Practices on their operations. CARES stands for "County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship."
Here is CARES Program Coordinator, Cacee Hilliard, on the program and it's purpose.
"This program recognizes farmers' and ranchers' efforts to protect Florida's natural resources and to be good stewards of the land. Our slogan, "This Farm CARES" is really utilized to demonstrate to the general public that our farmers and ranchers are committed to protected and preserving the environment across the whole state. Just a little more than 800 of Florida's 47,000 farmers and farm families have been awarded the CARES designation. So it's a very prestigious honor. Farm Burau is really proud to have this program and give that "Thank You."
In 2020, 22 farmers and a ranchers were awarded as part of the CARES program.
To be eligible for the CARES program, farmers must complete a 5 Step process which includes planning and implementing Best Management Practices as well as evaluating those efforts.
For more information on the program, check out thisfarmcares.org.