Florida Farmers, Ranchers and Fishermen Contribute to Environmentally Conscious Agriculture

In partnership with: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

When savoring local surf and turf with a fruit or vegetable side, remember the Florida farmers, ranchers and fishermen whose hard work and dedication make it possible. While their workplaces vary, the following producers make it their mission to sustainably serve their customers, the economy and the environment.

Caring for the Land

For fifth-generation Florida rancher Doyle Carlton III of Roman III Ranches in Wauchula, self-education is key to adopting Best Management Practices for sustainability.

“My dad and granddad taught me your cattle and land will take care of you if you take care of them,” Carlton says. “Their learning wasn’t from the books; it was through self-education.”

Seven generations of Carltons have ranched in Florida. Currently, the Roman III Ranch spans over three counties – Hardee, DeSoto and Highlands – and consists of cow-calf operations and citrus production.

A winner of the Farm Bureau CARES Award and the Farm Credit Leadership Outstanding Rancher and Leader Award, Carlton’s proud of the recognition, but more so of the positive practices that led to it.

“My goal is to leave the land better than I found it,” he says, but he also admits it’s hard to keep a sizeable ranch intact these days.

Some ranchers have adopted conservation easements, and many more are considering them. Carlton placed part of his ranch in Highlands County in a Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) Conservation easement. This easement is a voluntary program for restoration and protection of wetlands and private property, ensuring the land is never commercially developed. In return for the WRP Conservation easement, technical and financial assistance is provided. In DeSoto and Hardee counties, Carlton recently placed part of the ranch acreage into a Florida Forever easement with the Florida Division of State Lands and Southwest Florida Water Management District.

All work on the non-easement areas of the ranch is done in an environmentally conscious manner as well.

“Everything we do involves making the best choice to balance our cattle operation and our wildlife program,” Carlton says.

Florida’s landscape and cattle ranching history intertwine throughout the state, thanks to ranchers like Carlton who make it a priority to maintain the land through environmentally sustainable ranching methods.

“We need the ranches to maintain the landscape, green spaces and environment,” Carlton says. “Without cattle ranches, we simply wouldn’t have the beauty of the countryside we do now.”

See more: Florida Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award Recognizes Industry Leaders

Sharing the Ocean

Healthy fisheries are vital to Florida’s commercial fishing industry, says David Krebs, owner and CEO of Ariel Seafoods, which has fish houses in Destin and Sebastian.

“Whether tourists come here for golfing, beaches or Disney, most are coming to eat fresh Florida seafood,” he says.

Ariel Seafoods helps tourists and residents alike who are striving to eat and buy locally. As a wholesale fish company, they buy directly from boats fishing in the south Atlantic Ocean and Gulf waters. Then they package and distribute the fish to wholesalers, retailers and large-volume consumers.

In 2011, Ariel Seafoods established FishTrax Marketplace as a way for consumers to learn where their fish came from via QR codes assigned to the catch. Ariel Seafoods offers red snapper, vermilion snapper, Spanish mackerel, king mackerel and red grouper, all sustainably managed and responsibly harvested.

The key to ocean sustainability is twofold: eliminating waste and increasing education.

While regulations limit catch poundage and fish length to prevent overfishing, Krebs says commercial fishing differs from other forms of agriculture because the waters must be shared with charter and private fishers. Therefore, sharing resources is essential for all.

“Seafood is a limited resource,” Krebs says. “Having full accountability of all harvest is paramount to properly manage stocks.”

See more: Shellfish Connoisseurs Are Drawn to Cedar Key Clams and Oysters

Speed and Seeds

NASCAR drivers Chad and Ross Chastain are eighth-generation farmers whose JDI Farms near Fort Myers supplies watermelons to major East Coast grocery retailers.

“We grow 400 to 500 acres, and during April and May, we harvest 18 to 20 million pounds of watermelon,” Chad says.

When Ross Chastain first busted a watermelon in a race victory celebration, he thought his grandfather would call it wasteful. Instead, his grandfather recognized it as an ambassador opportunity – the farm literally sowed the seed for racing – and a tradition was born.

While Chastain may be a name synonymous with watermelons today, it wasn’t always. Previous generations raised crops from cabbage to citrus.

“My grandfather remembers plowing with a mule before my great-grandfather bought a tractor,” Chad says. “Two generations later, our farm is among the largest watermelon producers nationwide.”

Sediment ponds help prevent run-off and protect groundwater, and efficiency with fertilizer application also helps with sustainability efforts on the farm.

“Watermelons need specific nutrients, but the soil here can change across fence rows,” Chad Chastain says. “That’s why we routinely pull soil samples – to prevent over-fertilizing. We want to apply only as much fertilizer as necessary.”

If consumers want to practice sustainability and reduce waste on their end, Chad recommends buying whole fruit instead of prepared fruit in single-use plastic containers.

“People think they’re being wasteful to buy a whole watermelon and not eat it all, but watermelon has a long shelf life,” he explains. “The natural waste deteriorates and replenishes the land. Plastic doesn’t.”

Continuing the family farming tradition and incorporating sustainable practices make the younger Chastains proud.

See more: Florida Farmers Grow Fresh Watermelon for Consumers Across the Country