Annual report of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for the year 2004-2005

2005·2.4 MB·English

by  Florida. Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

ANNUAL 2005 REPORT
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................3
Message.from.the.Commissioner...............................................................4
Supporting.Florida.Agriculture...................................................................6
t Statistical Reporting
t Fruit and Vegetable Inspection
t License and Bond Service
t State Farmers’ Markets
t Livestock and Domestic Animals
t Animal Disease Control
t Emergency Management
t Diagnostic Laboratories
t Feed, Seed and Fertilizer
t Best Management Practices
t Agricultural Law Enforcement
t Plant Protection, Inspection and Certification
t Entomology, Nematology and Plant Pathology
t Domestic Security Actions
Promoting.Florida.Agriculture..................................................................48
t Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign
t Storming Across North America, Florida Farmers Express, Florida Watermelon Marketing Partnership
t Consumer Health Initiative Campaigns
t Trade Missions and Reverse Trade Missions
t Thoroughbred Horse Sales to Italy
t Florida Agri-Journal
t Seafood and Aquaculture Marketing
t Food Distribution
t WIC/Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program
t Emergency Response
t Bureau of Education and Communication
Ensuring.a.Safe,.Wholesome.Food.Supply...............................................56
t Bureau of Food and Meat Inspection
t Bureau of Chemical Residue Laboratories
t Bureau of Food Laboratories
t Protecting Citizens in the Event of Food Terrorism
t Milk Products
t Aquaculture

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services • CHARLES H. BRONSON, Commissioner
ANNUAL 2005 REPORT
Table of Contents
Conserving.the.Natural.Environment.......................................................70
t Scientific Evaluation Section
t Ground Water Protection
t Surface Water Protection
t Endangered Species Protection Program
t Pest Control Section
t Commissioner’s Agricultural Environmental Leadership Awards Program
t Forestry Programs
t Natural Resource Management
t Forest Resource Management and Support Services
t Forestry Youth Academy
t Training
Safeguarding.Consumers.........................................................................90
t Division of Consumer Services
t Call Center
t Consumer Complaints
t New Motor Vehicle Lemon Law
t Regulated Programs
t Investigations
t Consumer Education
t Division of Standards
t Petroleum Inspection
t Weights and Measures
t Fair Ride Inspections
t LP Gas Inspection
t Division of Licensing
Promoting.Employee.Excellence............................................................100
t Training and Development
t Awards
t Minority Business
t Department Web Presence
t AGMIC – Agriculture Management Information Center
t Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) and Health, Safety and Security Manual
t Office of Inspector General

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services • CHARLES H. BRONSON, Commissioner
ANNUAL 2005 REPORT
INTRODUCTION
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Agriculture is Florida’s second-largest industry and has an
Services is the largest and most diverse state agriculture annual economic impact estimated at $62 billion. The
department in the country. Supporting Florida’s farmers support the Department provides agriculture helps keep the
may be our best-known role, but it is just one of our many industry and our economy strong. We collect and disseminate
important responsibilities. Florida agricultural statistics; manage Florida’s state and
community farmers’ markets; enforce state animal health
We inspect your grocery stores for cleanliness and safety. We
regulations; inspect feed, seed and fertilizer; and help farmers
handle consumer complaints, helping resolve disagreements
fight crop pests and diseases. We provide farmers with
between buyers and sellers. We inspect scales and gas
assistance in the production of food and also in its marketing
pumps so you get what you pay for. We help during
and promotion. The Department organizes trade missions
emergencies. The Department’s activities touch the lives
and reverse trade missions, develops marketing campaigns
of virtually every Floridian every day. This annual report
and advertising strategies, and represents Florida agriculture
tells our story, a story that began nearly 140 years ago.
at food conferences and trade shows around the globe.
The Department ensures the safety and wholesomeness
Without a healthy environment, a healthy future for Florida
of Florida’s food supply through rigorous inspection and
agriculture is impossible. The Department encourages
testing programs. Retail food stores and processing plants
farmers and ranchers to use Best Management Practices to
are regularly monitored for proper sanitation and safe
help conserve Florida’s soil, surface water and groundwater.
food-handling procedures. The Department checks the
In addition, we provide comprehensive pesticide regulatory
accuracy of product labels, net weights and grade standards.
programs that protect the environment and public health.
Lab tests ensure the absence of food-borne pathogens and
The Department includes the Division of Forestry, which
other contaminants. Fruits and vegetables are analyzed
manages about a million acres of state forestland for natural
for the presence of pesticide residue; dietary supplements,
resource conservation and public enjoyment.
for dangerous ephedra alkaloids; and seafood, for unsafe
levels of mercury.
The Department is responsible for wildfire prevention,
If you have a problem with a merchant or business, we’re the detection and suppression in Florida. We educate the
ones to call. The Department is the state’s clearinghouse for public about wildfire prevention and manage the state’s
consumer complaints. Our toll-free Florida-only helpline, controlled burn program. In the event of a natural or
1-800-HELP-FLA, or 1-800-FL-AYUDA for Spanish- manmade disaster, the Department provides emergency
speaking consumers, is one of the busiest in the nation, with management. As the lead agency for Emergency Support
20 full-time analysts staffing the phones. The Department Function 11, we are responsible for distributing food, water
regulates car repair shops, charitable organizations, health and ice to disaster victims. The Department also sees to
studios, dance studios, pawnbrokers, telemarketers, and the emergency needs of livestock and other animals. Our
sellers of travel. Our oversight in these areas is designed Division of Animal Industry is charged with securing
to promote a positive business environment in Florida and emergency housing facilities, food, water and medical care
to protect consumers. for animals displaced during a disaster.

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services • CHARLES H. BRONSON, Commissioner
ANNUAL 2005 REPORT
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services • CHARLES H. BRONSON, Commissioner
ANNUAL 2005 REPORT
MESSAGE
from the Commissioner
In 2004-2005, Florida’s agriculture industry faced what education campaigns on the topics of food safety and storm
was perhaps its most challenging period in recent memory. preparation. We extended the hours of our price-gouging
Florida’s farmers and farm workers were devastated by four hotline, followed up on complaints, and filed numerous
back-to-back hurricanes that wiped out crops; tore apart lawsuits against unscrupulous merchants. As mosquito
horticulture greenhouses, dairy facilities and fishing boats; breeding spiked following the heavy rains and flooding, our
and caused severe damage to everything from oyster beds Division of Agricultural Environmental Services assisted with
and citrus groves to the state’s forestland. mosquito-control efforts.
Our farmers responded to the storms with characteristic Some effects of the hurricanes were immediately obvious,
courage, determination and energy. The Florida Department while others took weeks and even months to become
of Agriculture and Consumer Services was there to help them apparent. The stealthy spread of citrus canker falls in the
move forward. latter category. This serious bacterial disease had been
almost eradicated in Florida until the 2004 hurricanes
In the immediate aftermath of the storms, the Department
carried it to counties where it had never been seen before.
deployed hundreds of personnel to assist in the recovery
effort. The Division of Forestry dispatched Interagency The hurricanes presented some of the year’s greatest
Incident Management Teams to impacted counties, challenges, but they were not the only challenges or our only
along with chainsaw strike teams, potable water trailers, focus, of course. The Department developed multimedia
refrigerated trucks, incident planning teams, and heavy campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of
dozers for debris removal. Officers and investigators with healthy eating and exercise. In addition, we cracked down
the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement deployed over a on business opportunity and work-at-home scams. Our
hundred personnel to assist the public following the storms. Division of Animal Industry continued to survey and test
They performed urban search and rescue and anti-looting for avian influenza, and we deployed inspectors to pet stores
patrols, and formed price-gouging task forces to investigate to assure compliance with Florida’s Pet Law. In the course
predatory business practices. Meanwhile, the Division of of operating 22 Agricultural Interdiction Stations and six
Animal Industry, in conjunction with a host of public and investigative regions, officers and investigators intercepted
private partners, assisted in animal rescue and evacuation, numerous plant and animal violations that could have
coordinated direct veterinary care, and provided emergency been devastating to the state’s agricultural industry. Once
food and water to livestock and small animal shelters. again, the Division of Marketing and Development’s annual
produce marketing promotions generated hundreds of
The damage sustained by Florida agriculture was
millions of dollars in increased retail sales.
unprecedented – fruit lay on the ground, pastureland was
under water, and sweet corn and sugarcane fields were The Department’s work is wide-ranging, complex, and
flattened. The Department helped farmers assess and then critical to Florida’s farmers and consumers. Here, I’ve only
communicate the extent of their losses, and we worked just scratched the surface. This annual report will tell you
around the clock to help secure federal assistance. Thanks more about the important things we do.
to Washington’s quick response, growers were soon able to
get back on their feet and back to the business of feeding
Florida – and America.
The Department worked to protect consumers as well as Charles H. Bronson 
farmers in the wake of the storms. We launched public Commissioner of Agriculture
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services • CHARLES H. BRONSON, Commissioner
ANNUAL 2005 REPORT
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services • CHARLES H. BRONSON, Commissioner
ANNUAL 2005 REPORT
SUPPORTING
Florida Agriculture
Statistical Reporting: Reliable information is essential to making
production, marketing and policy decisions for the agricultural community.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services shares in a
cooperative federal/state program responsible for collecting and disseminating
Florida agricultural statistics. Information on the state’s major commodities
is gathered through on-site producer surveys, voluntary mail questionnaires,
and telephone and personal interviews. Statistics compiled from these data are
available in over 200 reports issued annually.
In the past year, the public relations bell peppers, watermelon, squash, and
efforts of the Florida Agricultural greenhouse and nursery crops. Florida
Statistics Service (FASS) included leads the nation in production of
staffing an informational booth at citrus, sugarcane, foliage plants, cut
industry trade shows for citrus and floral greens and tropical fish, and
cattle. The booths allow FASS to ranks second in the production of
promote its role in the industry and fresh market vegetables.
increase the visibility of our reports.
Citrus
An initial citrus production forecast
In 2004, Florida’s agricultural
is issued in October and modified
cash receipts amounted to $6.85
monthly through the citrus season
billion, 4.3 percent higher than in
based on fruit size measurements
2003. Cash receipts were lower
and observations on droppage. These
for cucumbers, potatoes, tomatoes,
forecasts are based exclusively on
snap beans, cotton, sugarcane, and
objective data obtained directly by field personnel, including
floriculture; receipts were higher for cattle and calves,
an extensive limb count survey conducted from July into
broilers, eggs, peanuts, strawberries and green peppers.
September to estimate fruit set per tree. Florida’s citrus
Florida leads the nation in cash receipts for oranges, growers, hit hard by three hurricanes, produced an estimated
grapefruit, tangerines, cucumbers, and sugarcane and ranks 151.2 million boxes of all oranges and 12.8 million boxes

second in cash receipts for tomatoes, strawberries, sweet corn, of grapefruit in the 2004-2005 season.
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services • CHARLES H. BRONSON, Commissioner
ANNUAL 2005 REPORT
Cash receipts for all citrus crops sold in 2004 totaled $1.24 due to increased production in 2004. Tobacco growers
billion compared to $1.23 billion in 2003. Citrus accounted produced 9.8 million pounds of tobacco, valued at $17.2
for 18 percent of all cash receipts in 2004. million in 2004. Decreases in production for cotton lint
and cottonseed produced cash receipts of $28.7 million in
Vegetables
2004, compared to $40 million in 2003.
Florida growers harvested fresh market vegetables from
185,800 acres in 2004. Cash receipts for all vegetables Other.Fruits.and.Nuts
amounted to $1.38 billion, which amounted to 20 percent Receipts for other fruits and nuts, such as avocados,
of all cash receipts in 2004. Tomatoes, peppers, sweet blueberries, mangos and pecans, at $91.7 million, were
corn, cucumbers, and snap beans accounted for the largest lower than in 2003.
amount of sales among vegetable crops.
Dairy
An increase in milk production in 2004 and higher prices
Greenhouse.and.Nursery.Production
resulted in increased cash receipts of $432 million compared
The total value of Florida greenhouse and nursery
to $330 million in 2003.
production exceeds $1.5 billion. The foliage and
floriculture industry contributed $826 million, down from
Cattle.and.Calves
$831 million in 2003.
The total number of cattle and calves was unchanged
from 2004, but higher prices resulted in cash receipts for
Berries.and.Melons
all cattle and calves of $443 million compared to $348
Strawberry production and prices for 2004 were up from
million in 2003.
the year before, resulting in cash receipts of $178 million
compared to $129 million in 2003. Increases in prices and Poultry.and.Eggs
production for watermelons resulted in an increase in total Egg sales in 2004 totaled $160 million, up from $145
value to $67.2 million in 2004. million in 2003. Broiler production was down slightly in
2004, but sales increased to $208 million from $179 million
Field.Crops
in 2003 due to higher prices.
Potato production in 2004 decreased from the previous
year resulting in cash receipts of $97.1 million to growers. Aquaculture
Sugarcane production was down from the previous year Aquaculture contributed an estimated $96 million to total
and total cash receipts fell slightly to $550 million in cash receipts. Tropical fish and aquatic plants accounted
2004. Cash receipts for peanuts increased to $68.1 million, for the majority of the sales in this category.

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services • CHARLES H. BRONSON, Commissioner