Misconceptions About Agriculture

October 23, 2019

We really try to avoid being controversial, but RCS' Michelle Yates, who has over 12 years of experience working with Agricultural Operations in the state of Florida, couldn't help but impart some knowledge in a comment to an author of a very misguided article on Agriculture.

Ms. Yates' comment is repeated below and the original article can be found here: in the comments to this post and the article to which it was responding can be found here: https://www.decaturdaily.com/opinion/columnists/fabiola-santiago-despite-dreadful-beach-conditions-florida-governor-won-t/article_250556b8-9047-5daa-aee2-d551292400fc.html

It's this kind of garbage that gives Agriculture a bad name. Here are some facts for people that want to make informed, educated decisions: 1) Agriculture does not regulate itself. It's water use, waste production, animals numbers, nutrient application, nutrients leaving the property, etc., are highly regulated by State agencies, including the Water Management Districts, FL Department of Environmental Protection, the USDA/NRCS, Army Corp of Engineers and so on, 2) Agricultural operations are more likely to take part in environmental conservation projects, such as the SFWMD FRESP and NE-PES projects as well as Best Management Practices, than any other type of land Owner, 3) Legacy phosphorus has proven to be more of a problem than anything else and this doesn't have to do with agriculture - it has to do with the phosphorus composition of Florida's natural geology - that's why phosphorus mining used to be a huge enterprise in Florida, 4) The Archibald Research Station has proven that removing grazing cattle from the natural lands of Florida is actually WORSE for the environment as it allows the unhindered encroachment of invasive species and, finally, 5) Agriculture is Florida's LARGEST economic contributor.