The event drew hundreds of invited guests, many of them elected officials on the local and state level and a few who served in the past, all who enjoyed meeting old friends, cracking open boiled peanuts with their teeth, gnawing on boiled corn dripping with creamy yellow butter, wrapping their lips around luscious red watermelon slices or even waiting for the multi-course country meal cooked by some of North Florida’s best cooks.



The event was the annual CARES recognition for farmers who have voluntarily adopted Best Management Practices (BMPs) to manage the flow of nutrients to the Middle Suwannee Basin were recognized for their ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship. The site was an old fashion farm gathering outdoors July 3 at Rep. Dwight Stansel’s farm.



Along with farmers wearing boots, jeans, western shirts and John Deere caps were those who have led or are leading state government in Tallahassee – Sam Bell, Betty Castor (Bell’s wife) and Dist. 10 Rep. Will Kendrick to name a few, along with Suwannee County Commissioners and constitutional officers, elected officials from Lafayette and Dixie counties and various other counties. Estimates are between 400-600 invited guests attended the event that is held on Stansel’s farm under towering old oaks.



Florida Farm Bureau Federation, in cooperation with the Suwannee River Partnership and the Suwannee River Water Management District, inducted 32 agricultural producers who have implemented sound environmental procedures into the County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship program (CARES).



CARES is an incentive-based program dedicated to protecting Florida’s water quality by promoting environmentally sound and economically viable farming. It is backed by 31 agricultural associations, government agencies and corporations working together in partnership with farmers to reduce nitrate levels in the river and groundwater through voluntary management programs. “Farmers CARE about the environment,” said Frankie Hall, assistant director of Agricultural Policy for the Florida Farm Bureau. “We all drink the water and live on the land, but the farmer depends on these things for his livelihood.”



In order to qualify for the program, farmers must implement BMPs specific to their farming operation. BMPs are used to minimize pollutants from agricultural activities from entering water resources.



The implementation of BMPs is a continual process that requires an on-farm assessment to indicate the operation’s needs. It often takes several years to fully execute the practices. Once the recognition is received, on-site inspections verify continued environmental stewardship efforts through a quality assurance program. Participation in the CARES program signifies a long-term commitment to the environment.



“We have always tried to comply with environmental regulations to better our land and water,” said dairy farmer Robert Piechocki. “This is just another step along the way.” Piechocki received his CARES sign at the event. Farmers selected for recognition under the CARES program will have a sign placed at their farm gates proclaiming “This Farm CARES.” The first group of CARES signs were placed on farms during spring 2001. Florida Farm Bureau and the other cooperating agencies of the Suwannee Partnership continue to promote the CARES program to assure that the public understands the significant contributions made by the farms displaying the signs.



“The CARES program benefits everyone, not just the farmer,” Hall said. “The public needs to realize that farmers do care about the environment and are willing to step forward and implement the practices that are needed.”



With this year’s inductees, there have been 101 participants recognized with CARES signs in the last three years. The CARES program is currently expanding to include the Santa Fe River Basin and the Indian River citrus area. Florida Farm Bureau plans to implement the program throughout the state.



Entertainment was provided by Don Miller and his fine country band for guests seated on bales of hay enjoying an old fashion farm gathering get-together. Four generations of the Stansel family were in attendance.



Food was provided by numerous individuals and businesses and cooked by a number of the areas’s finests cooks, led by head cook Dan Buchanan of Florida Farm Bureau.



Watch for photos in a future edition of CARES honorees.



Florida Farm Bureau contributed to this story.