61st Annual Ag Tour Spotlights South Dade’s Farming Industry

On Tuesday, February 24, the Dade County AGRI Council, UF/IFAS Extension and Miami-Dade County hosted the 61st Annual Ag Tour.

Two large charter buses transported participants to several agricultural sites throughout South Dade, including Buttler Foliage, Pine Island Nursery, Torbert Farms, RF Orchids and the University of Florida’s Tropical Research and Education Center.

The purpose of the annual tour is to inform and educate citizens about the scope and importance of the agricultural industry in Miami-Dade County. This year’s stops highlighted a wide cross-section of the industry, including ornamental plants, fruit trees, row crops, orchids and agricultural research and education.

A key component of the event was the AGRI Council luncheon, where the council honored an outstanding member of the agricultural community and presented scholarships to students pursuing careers in agriculture and related fields. Scholarships were awarded to one graduating high school senior, one undergraduate student and several graduate students.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava delivered the keynote address and presented a proclamation to Robert “Bob” Fuchs, owner of RF Orchids, who was named this year’s AGRI Council honoree.

Addressing attendees, Mayor Levine Cava emphasized her support for the agricultural community.

“No one is a bigger supporter of agriculture than me,” she said.

“I appreciated it from afar until I became the commissioner for this district. Then I got it. I fell in love with the region and what it produced. Ag is still the number two economic driver in the county.”

The Mayor shared additional data about agriculture in Miami-Dade, noting that the county ranks number one in the state for agricultural jobs, number two in agricultural revenue and number one in nursery production. She also highlighted that 40 percent of agricultural operations in the county are run by women.

Giselle Priego of South Dade High School received a scholarship to support her attendance at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in the fall. Carly LaPradd of the University of Florida received the undergraduate scholarship. Graduate scholarships were awarded to Marie Isabelle Dubois of Florida International University and Paola Villamarin, Simranjot Kaur, Monalisa Seaton and Peyton Ecklund, all of the University of Florida.