Apr 11, 2023

Florida Tomato Committee seeking nominations

The Florida Tomato Committee (FTC) is scheduling a virtual meeting for tomato producers to nominate fellow growers or themselves to serve on the committee.

The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 10. Committee leaders serve two-year terms. The upcoming term would be September 2023 to September 2025.

The committee is a federal marketing order that regulates the handling of Florida tomatoes and supports the industry through research and promotion efforts. The FTC oversees production in two districts covering central and south Florida.

District 1 counties include Broward, Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Lee, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach.

District 2 counties are Brevard, DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Manatee, Martin, Okeechobee, Osceola, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota and St. Lucie.

Each district will seat five open member positions and five open alternate positions for a total of 10 members and 10 alternates on the full committee.

Anyone who has grown tomatoes in a commercial capacity or who is an officer of a corporate producer in either of the FTC districts during the 2022-23 season will be eligible to nominate and be nominated, according to a news release.

“I encourage any and all growers in central and south Florida, no matter how small their operations, to consider volunteering to serve on the committee, which in turn, serves to support the state’s tomato industry,” Michael Schadler, FTC manager, said in the release. “We are looking for candidates who can bring a fresh perspective on how the FTC can better help the Florida tomato industry to thrive.”

Growers who are interested in participating or who have questions about the nomination process can contact the FTC office at 407-660-1949 or [email protected].