- Return to Article Of The Month index
Be an Advocate for Florida's Beef Cattle Industry
June, 2019
Christa Kirby,
UF/IFAS Extension Manatee County, Palmetto
For the past several years the Florida Cattlemen’s
Association leadership has encouraged their membership to promote the
industry and how it affects their life.
Some of the campaigns have been “Tell Your Story”, “Find a Way” and
“Show Your Passion”. Many
members have joined the movement to share the good things the Beef Industry
does for the community and environment.
Even though we take these things for granted, it does make a
difference in the segment of the community that is removed from production
agriculture.
While statistics have always been available to the
general public, the last year many different publications were developed to
help producers promote the industry that they love.
Infographics and factsheets were developed for the cattlemen and
cattlemen who attended “Boots on the Hill” in Tallahassee. This information
was also used in Washington D.C. when lobbying for industry support.
Most people who reside in the state of Florida,
especially in coastal areas, are not aware that Florida has a robust
commercial livestock industry.
The livestock industry encompasses 5.4 million acres of pasture and
rangeland statewide with 18,433 beef cattle operations and 425 dairy cattle
operations taking up most of these acres.
In economic terms this turns into $502 million value of cattle
produced and 300 million gallons of milk produced that are worth $537
million.
While contributions to the economy are important for counties and the state, the Florida beef cattle industry is so much more. As an industry 231 million pounds of beef are produced per year, providing 334 million meals to the public. Not only are we feeding the world’s residents, we are also able to create other items used in everyday life. Some of these things are cosmetics, crayons, bandages, leather goods, insulin, heparin, and vitamin B12.
The industry also preserves natural resources.
In urban areas natural resources are taken down to make way for
progress. “Progress” is
traditionally defined in urban areas as houses, roadways, retail outlets,
and restaurants to name a few.
In order to allow this “progress” to take place, open rangelands and areas
are needed. Pastures and
rangelands provide support for sensitive and unique ecosystems that provide
homes for native and endangered plants such as bald cypress trees and sabal
palms. The areas also provide
protection and resources for wildlife species.
Ranches in central and south Florida have partnered with Water
Management Districts to hold water in an effort to enhance water quality.
Well managed cattle ranches work together with natural
resources to provide a safe, natural environment for wildlife and the
public. The dollar value of
such ecosystems is estimated at $4.6 billion annually.
Cattle producers are also lowering their carbon footprint by 16% and
fewer natural resources are required for every pound of beef produced.
Land is also being preserved through conservation easement agreements
and assisting public land managers through grazing leases.
To preserve the natural resource areas, cattle
producers enroll in Best Management Practices (BMP’s).
These BMP’S are developed through cooperative efforts of cattlemen
along with local and state governmental agencies.
Currently over 5 million acres of Florida agriculture land is
enrolled in BMP’s. Some of
these enrollments are mandated and some are in voluntary enrollment areas.
Some things included in BMP’s are maintaining vegetative coverage in
pastures, planning of temporary holding areas, minimizing offsite water
discharges, and minimizing pollution just to name a few.
As you can see there is a lot that Florida cattle
producers can be proud of. It
is everyone’s job to educate and advocate for our industry.
If you don’t “Tell Your Story” or “Show Your Passion” nobody else
will. With the rate of
development in the state, agriculture lands, pasture lands, and natural
areas will continue to disappear.
Now is the time to educate the public that Florida DOES have a cattle
industry that is 1.68 million animals strong.
The Florida cattle industry is more than just cows in a pasture, it’s
so much more.