Industry Leaders Discuss Ag's Economic Impact At Palm Beach International Agricultural Summit
May 17, 2016 | 3 min to read
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Top business and industry leaders from around the state – as well as New York and Israel – convened in West Palm Beach for the inaugural Palm Beach International Agricultural Summit. The all-day summit was designed to raise awareness about the county’s $1.41 billion ag industry, address modern farming and its role in advancing Florida’s economy and quality of life. More than 1,000 people attended the event, which was presented by the Economic Council of Palm Beach County (ECPBC) and co-hosted by the Florida Chamber Foundation and Palm Beach County.
ECPBC Chair Wendy S. Link provided the opening remarks, followed by a rousing speech from Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam that earned a standing ovation from the packed room of business leaders, farmers and high school students. His talk on the significant impact of Florida agriculture kicked off a series of sessions featuring an impressive roster of speakers, including Temperince Morgan of The Nature Conservancy; Cory Reed of John Deere; Wells Fargo Chief Agricultural Economist Michael Swanson; and Shabtai Cohen, Ph.D., from the Volcani Center, who shared some of Israel’s farming innovations.
“Our key objectives were to educate the public about the county’s agriculture industry, which ranks among the top ten highest counties for agricultural revenue in the nation, and help foster a network of agricultural and non-agricultural businesses to advance the economy,” said Link. “Through this sold-out event we accomplished our goal and hopefully inspired the next gen of farmers through our engaging educational component.”
More than 300 elementary and high school students from throughout Palm Beach County explored the various aspects of agriculture through hands-on activities and breakout sessions with industry leaders. Younger students spent the day learning about the importance of agriculture through eight engaging and interactive stations on topics, ranging from bee pollination to hydroponics to advanced robotics. Students also learned how to make fresh fruit parfaits with Fresh from Florida Chef Justin Timineri. The educational component for teens, called Growing our Futures, addressed certification and degree requirements for various positions in the field, including a rising demand for drone pilots.
A highlight of the summit was a new economic contributions study by FAU’s Scott Barnhart, Ph.D., and UF’s Alan Hodges, Ph.D., that details the role and importance of agriculture, natural resources and other related food industries in Palm Beach County. J. Antonio Villamil, Ph.D., of The Washington Economics Group also reviewed his white paper that points to the technologies, competitive global marketplace, value-added manufacturing sectors and food securing issues that together make Palm Beach County a driver of Florida’s economy.
Fabiola Brumley, chair of the summit and Palm Beach County market president for Bank of America, closed out the day with exciting news on how the bank is investing in green bonds and agtech. “Farming is such a critically important industry for the state,” Brumley said. “It’s prudent and responsible to address the opportunities, challenges and changing technologies inherent in farming today so we can set the stage for agriculture to thrive and meet the demand for food around the world.”
Brumley’s efforts were supported by her co-chairs, Florida Atlantic University President Dr. John Kelly and Palm Beach State College President Ava Parker.
Sponsors of the 2016 Palm Beach International Agricultural Summit included Economic Council of Palm Beach County, Inc.; the Florida Chamber of Commerce; Palm Beach County; Everglades Farm Equipment; Fresh from Florida; John Deere; Glade & Grove Supply Co., Inc.; Case IH Agriculture; Gunster; Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce; Wells Fargo; The School District of Palm Beach County; Duda Farm Fresh Foods; Bank of America; Broad and Cassel; Chamber of Commerce of The Palm Beaches; Florida Crystals; Florida Sugar Conference; Helena; Branch; Kelly Tractor; South Central Florida Express, Inc; SSI Petroleum; Sunshine Sweet; Walpole; TKM Bengard Farms, LLC; Wedgworth’s; United Way; U.S. Sugar; J&J Family of Farms; Green Space Design Associates; Roma Services; FPL; Florida Coast Equipment; and Kubota.
For general information, visit www.PBIAS.org or email info@pbias.org.
Source: Palm Beach International Agricultural Summit