Accursio Family Named Farm Family of the Year

Seventy three years after his father relocated to Florida City from Boston, Sam Accursio, Jr. received a high honor given to South Miami-Dade agriculturalists. On October 16th at its Annual Meeting the Dade County Farm Bureau (DCFB) honored Accursio, his widowed mother Phyllis and their family as the Farm Family of the Year.    

In acknowledgment of the local agricultural community’s importance to the State of Florida, a video message from Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Adam Putnam was shown. One of Mr. Putnam’s Miami-Dade County staff members Yvonne Perez-Suarez presented a letter from him congratulating the Accursio family. State Representatives Katie Edwards and Holly Raschein also recognized the family.

From 5 acres in 1948 the family’s farming operations have grown to encompass 2,000 acres in Miami-Dade County. From 1948 until his passing in 1995, Sam Accursio, Sr. worked in the industry. As DCFB Agency Manager Racey Timmons noted upon introducing the Accursios, for success in the growing of pickles, Sam Accursio, Sr. came to be referred to as the “Pickle King.”

Following his father’s death, Sam Jr. assumed management of the family business.

The sense of respect that the Accursio family is held within the South Dade farming community was widely apparent.

“The Accursios have been here a long time. They have been big in the pickle industry. They have diversified with the times. One of their new ventures is in the agro-tourism industry with the fresh food store (Sam & Philly’s U-Pick and Market) on Krome Avenue (located in Redland)” said Florida Farm Bureau State Director Mark Wilson.

Teena’s Pride owner Teena Borek in describing how highly she holds the honorees said “When you have an absolutely fine family like the Accursios, it’s an honor and a privilege to be here with them.”

After the event, Sam Accursio, Jr. spoke about the recognition, his family’s farming future, and the challenges that American farmers face.

Reflecting on his peers, he stated that his family being named Farm Family of the Year “is a great honor that your fellow farmers think of you for this award.” During the course of the ceremony, presenters mentioned that having graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Mr. Accursio’s son Sam Accursio, III had returned to be involved in the family business. The elder Accursio noted that in addition to “Sam 3” (as his son is known by his relatives), his son Austin and his nephews Ryan and David (sons of his sister Susie and her husband Tim) will also be involved.

With a visible sense of concern for the future on the next generation of Accursios, he commented “There are huge obstacles to overcome. Hopefully our federal government needs to realize the importance of Florida agriculture in feeding the United States over the winter. It is us (Florida farmers) and California (farmers). We cannot rely on third world countries to feed this great nation.”

“The main obstacle we’re fighting today is too much water in our crop zones,” he continued. “Our second biggest problem is immigration. These immigrants are the back bone of agriculture. The third obstacle is the federal Food Safety Act – it is out of hands.”  

During the ceremony held at the Redland Golf and Country Club the DCFB also installed its Officers and Board of Directors and honored high school FFA members.

As with any industry, education and development of its future workforce remains important to the South Miami-Dade Agricultural community. The South Dade Senior High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter was present at the DCFB Annual Meeting.

President Teresa Suits expressed that she hoped to study Agricultural Communication at the University of Florida, adding in reference to the evening event. “I’ve learned that this (agricultural) community is accepting and open to new faces.”

Her chapter Vice-President Lesley Guzman said she wants to study Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida. As what she had learned at the occasion, she said, “One thing that I learned tonight is that agriculture is a really important industry in our country.”

Her fellow officer, Treasurer Maria Arreguin commented “One thing that I’ve taken from tonight is that farming does not only help people, but also brings the community together. This experience is something wonderful.”