Agenda 02/11/2014 Item # 10C 2/11/2014 10.0.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Recommendation to approve a Resolution in support of the budget request made by the
South Florida Ag Council to the Florida Legislature to fund the Southwest Florida
Research and Education Center, and to distribute resolution in the manner set forth below.
OBJECTIVE: To support the South Florida Ag Council's $4.9 million budget request to the
Florida Legislature to restore funding for the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center.
CONSIDERATIONS: The Southwest Florida Research and Education Center is a component
of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. It was established as the
university's support facility in 1958 and became a research and education center in 1986 after the
southwest Florida agricultural industry convinced the state that the region needed its own center
to serve the region's unique agricultural and natural resource needs.
The research, education, and extension activities at SWFREC have been, and will continue to be,
an economic engine for the region and the state. While the SWFREC serves the entire State of
Florida, it focuses on Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry, and Glades counties, which produce
almost 25% of Florida's citrus and nearly 80% of the tomatoes and other fresh vegetables sold to
U.S. markets during the winter months. Southwest Florida's agricultural interests, including
cattle ranches, citrus, vegetables, sugarcane, and ornamental growers, collectively generate $1
billion in sales annually, and are the core of an agribusiness and natural resource economy in
southwest Florida by contributing more than $6 billion of compound economic activity statewide
annually. The SWFREC is a valuable educational portal to both the University of Florida and
the wider national Land Grant university system, providing science and technology applicable to
the management of water, environmental issues, and natural resources critical to the region, state,
and nation.
In 2009, SWFREC ranked in the top 25% among the 29 departments within the University of
Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences in terms of competitive grants and refereed
journal publications per faculty. During the recession, however, the SWFREC lost funding for
faculty, staff, and research programs, which severely limited its ability to promote and protect
the health and productivity of southwest Florida and statewide agricultural interests.
Currently, South Florida Ag Council is requesting a budget amendment of$4.9 million from the
Florida Legislature to restore funding for the Research and Education Center to prior levels in
order to provide for the hiring of a center director, restoration of lost faculty and staff positions,
and providing for the construction of new facilities to accommodate the increased staff, faculty,
and students.
Approval of the proposed Resolution will memorialize the Board of County Commissioners
support for the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center and the South Florida Ag
Council's $4.9 million budget request to the Florida Legislature.
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS: The proposed Resolution has been reviewed by the County
Attorney, is approved as to form and legality, and requires majority support for Board approval.
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2/11/2014 10.C.
-JAK
FISCAL IMPACT: None.
GROWTH MANAGEMENT IMPACT: None.
RECOMMENDATION: That the Board of County Commissioners approves the attached
Resolution in support of the $4.9 million budget request made by the South Florida Ag Council
to the Florida Legislature to fund the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, and
upon approval by the Board and subsequent execution, distribute the Resolution through our
legislative lobbyist as follows:
Florida Gov. Rick Scott
Senate President Don Gaetz
House Speaker Will Weatherford
Members of the Collier County Legislative Delegation, which includes
Senate President Pro Tempore Garrett Richter
Senator Dwight Bullard
Representative Matt Hudson (chair)
Representative Kathleen Passidomo
Representative Carlos Trujillo
and other members of the Florida Legislature
The Florida Association of Counties and the Florida League of Cities.
PREPARED BY: Tim Nance, County Commissioner, District 5
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2/11/2014 10.C.
SOUTH FLORIDA AG COUNCIL COMMITTEE
COMMITTEE MEETING
9:00 A.M.TO 12 NOON, NOVEMBER 19,2013
HILLIARD BROTHERS CABIN,FLAG HOLE ROAD
CLEWISTON,FLORIDA,
ATTENDEES COMPANY COMMODITY
Aaron Troyer Troyer Brothers Inc. Vegetables&Citrus
Ben H.Griffin III- Ben Hill Griffin Inc. Cattle&Citrus
Billy Heller Pacific Tomato Growers Ltd. Vegetables&Citrus
Cecil Howell Self Vegetable Grower
Charlie Lucas King Ranch Florida Citrus,Sugarcane,Vegetables,Landscape&Ornamental
Christian Spilker Collier Enterprises Cattle, Citrus&Vegetables
Chuck Obem Self Vegetable Grower
Clay G.Wilson Latt Maxcy Corporation/ALICO Cattle,Citrus,Sugarcane&Vegetables
Dallas Townsend Dories Ranch Cattle&Citrus
David Wheeler Wheeler Farms Citrus
DC McClure West Coast Farms Vegetables
Dick Crockett Brian W.Paul Family Citrus
Gene McAvoy Hendry County Extension Director NA
Gene Mooney Bill Hill Griffin Inc. Citrus&Cattle
Hugh English English Brothers Partnership Citrus
Jamie Williams Lipman Produce Vegetables&Citrus
J. D.Alexander ALICO Cattle,Citrus,Vegetables&Sugarcane
Joe Hilliard 11 Hilliard Brothers of Florida Cattle,Citrus&Vegetables
Dr.Joe Joyce IFAS Executive Associate VP for Agriculture NA
Joe M.Hilliard Hilliard Brothers of Florida Cattle,Citrus&Vegetables
John Stitt Stitt Ranch Inc. Citrus
Kate English Pavese Law Firm Citrus
Katie Sproul Barron Collier Companies Cattle,Citrus&Vegetables
Ken McDuffle U.S. Sugar Sugarcane
Ken Smith ALICO Cattle,Citrus,Vegetables&Sugarcane
Kent Shoemaker Lipman Produce Vegetables
Michael S.Murphy Cooperative Producers Inc. Citrus
Mike Sullivan Gargiulo Farms Vegetables
Mike Taylor Collier Enterprises Cattle,Citrus&Vegetables
Paul Meador Everglades Harvestion Citrus
Rick Kress Southern Gardens Citrus Processing Citrus
Ron Hamel Gulf Citrus Growers Association Citrus
Ronald Edwards Evans Properties Inc. Citrus
Tim Nance Collier County Board of Commissioners NA
Tom Duda A.Duda&Sons Cattle&Citrus
Tony Dimare Dimare Brothers Vegetables
Wayne Simmons LaBelle Fruit Company LLC Citrus
3
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2/11/2014 10.C.
COLLIER COUNTY
Board of County Commissioners
Item Number: 10.10.C.
Item Summary: Recommendation to approve a Resolution in support of the budget
request made by the University Of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences to fund its
Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, and to distribute in the manner set forth
below.
Meeting Date: 2/11/2014
•
Prepared By
Name: FlanaganJim
Title: Executive Coordinator to Commissioner,
2/4/2014 4:20:48 PM
Submitted by
Title: Executive Coordinator to Commissioner,
Name: FlanaganJim
2/4/2014 4:20:49 PM
Approved By
Name: OchsLeo
Title: County Manager, County Managers Office
Date: 2/4/2014 4:59:13 PM
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2/11/2014 10.C.
RESOLUTION NO. 2014 -
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF
COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA, SUPPORTING SOUTH FLORIDA AG
COUNCIL BUDGET REQUEST TO THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE FOR
THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTER.
WHEREAS, the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC), part of
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), was established as
a OF support facility in 1958 and became a UF/IFAS research and education center in 1986 after
the agricultural industry in southwest Florida convinced the state that the region needed its own
center to serve the region's unique agricultural and natural resource needs; and
WHEREAS, the research, education, and extension activities at SWFREC has been, and
will continue to be, an economic engine for the region and the state; and
WHEREAS, the SWFREC serves the entire State of Florida, focusing on Collier, Lee,
Charlotte, Hendry, and Glades counties, which produce almost 25% of Florida's citrus and
nearly 80% of the tomatoes and other fresh vegetables sold during winter to U.S. markets; and
WHEREAS, southwest Florida agricultural interests, including cattle ranches, citrus,
vegetables, sugarcane, and ornamental growers, collectively generate $1 billion in sales annually,
and are the core of an agribusiness and natural resource economy in southwest Florida that
contributes more than $6 billion of compound economic activity statewide annually; and
WHEREAS, in 2009, SWFREC ranked in the top 25% among the 29 departments within
OF/IFAS in terms of competitive grants and refereed journal publications per faculty, two
important metrics of academic productivity; and
WHEREAS, during the recession, the SWFREC lost funding for faculty, staff, and
research programs, limiting and endangering the ability of the SWFREC to promote and protect
the health and productivity of southwest Florida and statewide agricultural interests and greater
research needs; and
WHEREAS, the SWFREC is a valuable educational portal to both the University of
Florida and the wider national Land Grant university system, providing science and technology
applicable to the management of water, environmental issues, and natural resources critical to the
region, state, and nation.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA, that it supports the South Florida
Ag Council budget request to the Florida Legislature for $4.9 million to restore funding for the
Southwest Florida Research and Education Center programming to prior levels, including hiring
a center director, restoring lost faculty and staff positions, and providing for the construction of
new facilities to accommodate the increased staff, faculty, and students.
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2/11/2014 10.C.
THIS RESOLUTION ADOPTED after motion, second and majority vote on this the
11th day of February, 2014.
ATTEST: BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
DWIGHT E. BROCK, Clerk COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA
By: By:
, Deputy Clerk TOM HENNING, CHAIRMAN
Approved as to form and legality:
Jeffrey A. Klatzkow
County Attorney
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