FINDING THE RESOURCES
Research is viewed as the means whereby not only the grower, but also the grower’s children, can judge the “fruit” of our efforts. Since its inception, FSGA has made contributions to strawberry research derived from grower assessments in excess of $2.5 million. But the true impact of the Association on strawberry research is really much greater.
The Association has served in the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) advisory committees at the local (Gulf Coast Research Advisory Committee and Hillsborough County Vegetable Committee), state (Florida Ag Council), and national (Council for Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching (CARET) and Hillsborough County Economic Development Council.
This networking has paid huge dividends in public and public/private support streams. IN THE PERIOD FROM 2001-2002, STRAWBERRY RESEARCH RECEIVED MORE NEW STATE RESEARCH SUPPORT THAN GROWERS PAID IN FSGA DUES FOR THE PAST DECADE ($1.35 million).
The Gulf Coast Research and Education Center has patented six Florida varieties in less than a decade, SWEET CHARLIE, ROSA LINDA, EARLIBRITE, STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL, CARMINE and WINTER DAWN. These varieties are marketed to Florida growers and growers around the world.
As a result, Florida strawberry research receives worldwide support of its program. This isn’t small change, either. Strawberry royalties collected from these varieties have made FSPS the second largest source of royalty funding of all IFAS varieties.
FSGA’s wholly owned sister organization, Florida Strawberry Patent Service Corporation (FSPS), holds exclusive rights to license agreements for growing Florida patented strawberry varieties around the world.
The Association issues licenses, collects royalties, and sends monies to fund additional variety research. Because of the Association’s long standing relationship of funding strawberry research, IFAS allows FSPS to rebate $.50-$2.00/thousand to FSGA members. YOU MUST BE A MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING TO RECEIVE THIS REBATE.
Looking to the future, FSGA gathered the political and financial resources to develop a $15 million Regional Research Center, with the land, laboratories and faculty to keep our industry pressing the envelope, and maintaining our strategic marketing advantage.
FSGA has been hard at work for you PROMOTING Florida Strawberries.
From television and radio commercials to movie screen ads, the household consumer should have no trouble figuring out when Florida Strawberries are in season. This year’s marketing campaign will continue to make aggressive moves to expand Florida’s markets. Here are just a few of the marketing plans that have been implemented through the Association.
- Press Kits and news releases nationwide to food editors with color slides featuring fresh Florida Strawberries.
- Television, radio and movie ads emphasizing the Florida growing season.
- Representation annually at major trade shows nationwide such as PMA, United, and the Florida Restaurant Show.
- Point of Purchase material, including posters, price cards, brochures, table tents and other materials to handlers each season.
- Tie-in promotions with Fortune 500 companies at no cost to the association.
- Television Weathercaster Promotion
- Speaking on behalf of the Florida strawberry industry at various consumer group meetings around the state.
- An FSGA website has been created listing supporting handlers. Improvements are forthcoming with the option of purchasing FSGA hats, cookbooks, shirts and other strawberry merchandise.
- Foodservice Promotion including research and development for strawberry menu inserts.
MEMBER SERVICE
Member service has always been a top priority for the Florida Strawberry Growers Association. Our ultimate objective is to work on your behalf and help you prosper, and in so doing, make life and the community around you a better place.
FSGA represents you on almost every board and local, district or state advisory committee that influences policy as to how you conduct business on your farm. In many cases, we either chair the committee or are on the executive committee. If it has to do with land, water or the environment, we are there to protect your interests. For example, FSGA led the way to guarantee adequate water from SWFWMD for plant establishment and freeze protection.
Negotiated with EPC to allow growers to burn plastic mulch in the field, rather than send it to the landfill, thereby saving growers time, effort and an average of $40/A in disposal costs. Obtained a waiving of tipping fees when burning conditions wouldn’t allow on site burning.
Challenged first SWUCA rules (and won) requiring the District to rethink heavy-handed approach to protecting the water resources that included existing property rights.
Helped form the Agricultural Development Council, which interacts with agencies before rules are enacted to minimize their impact on agricultural producers. Used this program to assist in Greenbelt activities, land use issues, farm labor housing, water problems, taxation, and wetland questions to name a few.
Challenged Tampa Bay Water Authority (and won) as they attempted to place more water withdrawal at the edge of the strawberry production area on 18 acres than the entire strawberry industry was pumping on 140 sections of land. Final consent agreement reduced pumping sites from nine to two, and the amount of water pumped by 85 percent. Later consent agreements shut off the last two pumps, and guaranteed no public water supply requests within the intensive strawberry production area until at least 2008.
Has led the way for virtually every chemical production tool that growers use in the field today. It spear headed an I-R4 request to allow 24 applications of Captan per growing season, making Florida the only state in the nation with that option.
Developed a Worker’s Compensation self-insurance program that is the envy of the world. REBATES FROM THIS PROGRAM HAVE BEEN ABOUT THE SAME AS THE ASSOCIATION’S GROWER ASSESMENTS. CAN YOU AFFORD NOT TO BE A MEMBER OF FSGA? WITH THE PACKAGE OF MEMBER SERVICES THAT FSGA PROVIDES, IT ACTUALLY COSTS STRAWBERRY GROWERS MONEY IF THEY DON’T BELONG TO FSGA.
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