by LUIS RODRIGUEZ, UF/IFAS Polk Extension
We know that farming and ranching is not an easy task. It requires plenty of effort, capital, and resources. Sometimes farmers may lack these resources and don’t know where to find them. The good news is that farmers and ranchers can find help and resources from multiple agencies across the state of Florida. This article is a list of some of these agencies that can help farmers to obtain resources and guidance.
- Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) – This is the Department of Agriculture of the State of Florida. It supports and promotes Florida agriculture, the environment, and consumers, and ensures the safety and quality of food. If a farmer needs a permit that involves agriculture, it will probably have to go through FDACS. Examples could be permits for retail sales, egg sales, beekeeping, pesticide licenses, etc. You can access their website at https://www.fdacs.gov/
- United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) – This is the federal Department of Agriculture, which offers multiple programs that farmers or ranchers can use to get resources or financial aid (https://www.usda.gov/).
Under their umbrella, you can find the Farm Services Agency (FSA) (https://www.fsa.usda.gov/) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) (https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/). Both agencies have programs that can benefit farmers including irrigation, fertilization, and others. There are multiple local offices across the state. (You can find a map of the state here: https://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app?state=fl&agency=fsa)
- Farm Credit of Central Florida – As the name implies, this is a financing agency that can help farmers with loans including farm, land, and home, as well as crop insurance. If farmers are in need of these, they can contact this agency for orientations. (https://farmcreditcfl.com/)
- Florida Farm Bureau – If you want to keep in touch with everything in Florida agriculture, then the Farm Bureau has you covered. The Florida Farm Bureau’s mission is to be one voice advocating for viable farm families and enriching the quality of life for all Floridians. Members of the Farm Bureau provide valuable benefits and resources to help farmers save money and stay connected to pertinent issues affecting agriculture in the state of Florida. You can find more about the Florida Farm Bureau at https://floridafarmbureau.org/. The are 60 offices of the Farm Bureau across Florida: https://floridafarmbureau.org/county-farm-bureaus/
- UF/IFAS Extension, University of Florida – Extension is a partnership among state, federal, and county governments to provide science-based knowledge and expertise to the community. There is an extension office in every county in Florida and their mission is to develop knowledge in agriculture, human and natural resources, and the life sciences, and to make that knowledge accessible to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. They offer educational programs to farmers and ranchers so they can improve their production and enhance their quality of life. If you want to know more about the Extension, access the following link: https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/who-we-are/. For information about the local offices: https://ifas.ufl.edu/maps/
Disclaimer: This list was created with the intent of listing resources that farmers and ranchers can access for their benefit. None of these agencies paid to be included in this article.