Several businesses and individuals from the community who play a pivotal role in harvesting natural resources were awarded at the Salute to AG function held on Aug. 11.
The Greater Plant City Chamber networking lunch was an opportunity to present plaques to the 2022 winners of five categories respectively: Agriculturalist of the Year; Young Agriculturalist of the Year; AG Educator of the Year; Agribusiness of the Year; Supporter of Youth in Agriculture.
Those who claimed this year’s titles are:
Reed FischbachAgriculturalist of the Year
Reed Fischbach is the owner of Fischbach Land Company and is a licensed real estate broker who specializes in commercial, agricultural, and transitional land.
He graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s in science degree after his grandfather encouraged him to invest in land after his schooling.
In 2008, Fischbach Land Company was established.
Fischbach serves on the board of Farm Credit of Central Florida, Brandon Regional Hospital, and the Hillsborough County Agriculture Economic Development Council.
Also, he is a member of the Realtor Land Institute, Florida Strawberry Growers Association, and other industrial groups.
Andy McDonald
Young Agriculturalist of the Year
Andy McDonald is a fifth generation Plant City farmer – a line of work his father taught him.
For over 20 years, he has served on the Florida Strawberry Growers Association, of which he was named president of twice.
He is the farm manager at Sweet Life Farms, having managed over 500 acres of land.
Robert Wilder
AG Educator of the Year
Wilder is a seventh-generation Floridian and a sixth-generation Plant City native. His father was an agriculture teacher, his mother taught English, and the family-owned orange groves and cattle.
Growing up, Wilder was involved in the FFA and 4-H organizations, tending to plants, swine, chickens, and steer.
While in FFA, he competed in the Forestry and AG Mechanics Contest.
In 2012, he graduated with an AG Operations Management degree at the University of Florida before becoming an agriculture teacher at Tomlin Middle School, starting in 2016.
Wilder currently teaches floriculture and fundamentals of agriculture and helps in operating the FFA produce stand on Fridays at the middle school – selling fresh fruit, vegetables, and flowers.
He enjoys coaching, forestry, vegetable judging, nursing, landscape, and floriculture.
Astin Farms
Agribusiness of the Year
Astin Farms is a fourth-generation, family-owned business, currently owned by Sam Astin.
“My dad and my grandfather were farmers,” he said. “I started going with my dad when I was 3 years old to the field. We’d go to the field everyday…just continued right along, never stopped. I enjoyed it.”
Astin’s daughters Madison, Payton, and Baylee, assist him in managing the business.
The company set a precedent by becoming the largest independent strawberry producer in Florida. During harvest season, Astin Strawberry Exchange in Plant City, and Astin Family Farm in Riverview provide packing, cooling, and shipping services. Together both represent over 1,500 acres of strawberries and 400 acres of blueberries, which are sold across the U.S. and Canada.
“It’s very rewarding to have the opportunity to do all that (and) support the community,” Astin said.
J.D. Cauley
Supporter of Youth in Agriculture
J.D. Cauley is a Plant City native, who was raised in Lithia and was one of five children in the family household. His father was a dairyman, and his mother was a homemaker.
He attended Plant City High School and later transferred to Kathleen High School, where he was inspired to help educate youth about agriculture.
In 2004, Cauley joined the Florida Strawberry Festival Swine and Steer Committee, which he continues to serve on. He began raising cattle under the Circle C Cattle Company for the youth who participate in the Strawberry Festival.
Cauley volunteers for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office reserve, specializing in the AG division, and was named as the 2022 Reserve Deputy of the Year.
Reggie Holt, CEO/president of Farm Credit of Central Florida, offered his assistance in presenting the accolades to each winner.
From 1997 to 2007, he served as the senior vice president and director of Agribusiness Lending, which manages Farm Credit’s commercial, corporate, and capital markets.
He attended East Carolina University, graduating with a bachelor’s in science for business administration and specializing in banking and finance. At Florida Southern College he received the Master of Business Administration (MBA), attended the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University, as well as Harvard Business School.
Also present was Florida House Representative Lawrence McClure, who represents District 58 and is seeking re-election for District 68.
Seeing that Plant City is an economic driver for strawberry produce in the country, he along with Florida Senator Danny Burgess proposed the idea of naming strawberry shortcake as the state dessert.
The legislature approved and passed the bill.
“I think the strawberry shortcake bill is something that was a fun process,” he said. “Really, the importance of it was to bring awareness to all we do here in Plant City.”
McClure is a part of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee and was one of 14 lawmakers to be named as the 2021 Champions for Agriculture by the Florida Farm Bureau.
This year he sponsored the Nutrient Application Rates bill which was signed into law.
It “authorizes citrus producers to use specified recommendations to tailor nutrient application rates; requires producers to keep records and to enroll in and implement best management practices; requires recommendations for nutrient application rates by state universities and Florida College System institutions to provide application ranges and authorizations; provides presumption of compliance with certain requirements for citrus producers; directs UF/IFAS (University of Florida-Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences) to analyze use of site-specific nutrient management for certain crops, develop research plan and recommendations, and submit annual reports to Governor and Legislature,” according to the Florida House of Representatives.
“We’re trying to strike a balance between water quality which is so important to us,” McClure said. “It’s something we’ve committed to on a state level, but also making sure our farmers have what they need to be able to produce food…I’m very proud to work on agricultural issues in Tallahassee.”
The UF/IFAS CALS (College of Agricultural and Life Sciences) offers classes, through the Hillsborough Community College – Plant City branch, to build knowledge on farming and cultivating land with crops, while working towards a degree.