Florida Focus
New Web site lists non-payment claims
against Florida ag dealers
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Tallahassee, has unveiled a Web site that enables state growers to view claims for non-payment currently filed against agricultural dealers, both licensed and unlicensed.
The FDACS is responsible for licensing dealers of agricultural products. Any person who is engaged within the state in the business of buying, receiving, soliciting, handling or negotiating agricultural products from or for Florida producers, or their agents, must be licensed and bonded, according to the department.
"Posting this information on the Web makes it very easy for growers to see if any complaints for non-payment are filed against specific dealers before they contract with them," says FDACS Commissioner Charles Bronson, in a news release. "Armed with this data, growers can make their own conclusions about who they choose to do business with.
"Florida's License and Bond Law affords protection to our state's agricultural producers who could otherwise suffer huge financial losses if a buyer failed to live up to the terms of the purchase. Obviously, perishable commodities cannot be repossessed, and, without this law, smaller farming operations could literally be put out of business by a buyer who does not pay for shipments."
Chris Cunnane, national sales director for Procacci Bros. Sales Corp., parent company of Santa Sweets Inc., Plant City, says, "This is potentially a great tool. We're very cautious with researching new customers. I'm guessing it's worth every penny they're spending on it."
To view the list of dealers that have claims filed against them, visit www.florida-agriculture.com/marketing/licensing_claims.htm. The records displayed constitute cases of alleged non-payment for agricultural products, according to the FDACS. Liability has not been adjudicated.
Fresh from Florida program encourages
tomato grower participation
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles Bronson has announced the department will offer Fresh from Florida labels and point-of-purchase materials upon request to growers, distributors and retailers of Florida-grown tomatoes. The effort is intended to boost Florida tomato sales following the Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak by helping restore confidence in the state's crop.
For continued use of the Fresh from Florida logo, businesses are encouraged to contact the Tallahassee-based Division of Marketing and Development for information about Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign membership.
Tomato harvesting is currently under way in the Palmetto, Quincy and Ruskin areas. Nineteen Florida counties have been cleared as of June 25 in the Food and Drug Administration's traceback investigations following the Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak. David Acheson, the FDA's director of food safety and security, stressed during a press briefing that none of the farms have been directly implicated. He says that while the tainted tomatoes likely originated in Florida or Mexico, they weren't necessarily contaminated in either place.
"Florida produces the safest tomatoes in the world," says Terence McElroy, spokesman for FDACS. "The Fresh from Florida program is tried and true. We wouldn't back away from encouraging the program for Florida tomatoes (if the outbreak was tied to Florida). We don't think the outbreak will be tied to Florida."
The department's Division of Fruit and Vegetables has been issuing certificates with each shipment of tomatoes indicating the harvest date and location. Nearly four million 25-pound cartons have been certified since June 10.
Anyone involved in the production or sale of Florida tomatoes can call the Division of Marketing and Development at (850) 488-9948 or e-mail fapc@doacs.state.fl.us. The logos also are temporarily being placed on the department's Web site, www.florida-agriculture.com, for distributors and retailers to download.
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