Special guest at the OSFR board meeting on March 27 was Mr. Charles Shinn III, Director of Government and Community Affairs of the Florida Farm Bureau Federation. Mr. Shinn comes from a many-generation Florida family of citrus growers and farmers. He and the board found many topics to discuss and President Mike finally had to cut it off due to time running out.
The OSFR board members and guests made it clear that their main concerns with agriculture lie with industrial forms and concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOS) especially those built in aquifer sensitive locations, such as the JTC Chicken Farm near Fort White. In spite of some differences, common grounds were found where both agriculture and environmentalists can unite for similar causes. Water is essential for everyone, and we all need it to survive.
OSFR thanks Mr. Shinn for traveling to our meeting and taking the time from his busy schedule to discuss these issues which are important to us as well as to those he represents.
Comments by OSFR historian Jim Tatum.
-A river is like a life: once taken, it cannot be brought back-
I am glad to hear that this discussion with Florida Farm Bureau took place. Thank you OSFR. We are long time Farm Bureau policy holder members, in Tennessee and Florida. It has been frustrating that our values as organic farmers have not been well represented by FB in either state. FB could lead farmers towards conservation, rather than follow agribusiness. We hope that FB can look to a conservation ethic as most important to the future of farming, whether their member farmers know this or not. One way that Florida FB could demonstrate a willingness to listen is to include a Letter to the Editor contact information in their periodical. As it is now, an editorial is provided, but no contact info provided for member feedback. I have suggested this to FFB in writing and no result yet.
I so enjoyed the evening and the invitation from your President to interact with you and look forward to being invited again if you so desire. I will do my best to come with a voice next time!
It was indeed a very cordial and productive discussion, and I, too, look forward to having you back for additional discussions. I think we found that there truly is much common sentiment and that the elimination of some knee-jerk reactions by both groups could lead to some significantly beneficial policies. (You mean you don’t always talk with a rasp??)