Four visitors from Kazakhstan recently visited northwest Florida as part of the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program. These visitors looked at converging issues impacting global food security and the sustainable development strategies that address them.
The program objectives outlined by the U.S. Department of State for this project included:
· To look at how world food security is intricately linked to factors including global economic security, environmental security, energy security, and political and strategic security;
· To examine trends, such as increased food transport costs, greater demand for bio-fuels, and developments in biotech and agricultural science; and
· To focus on progress made towards the global millennium goal to halve world hunger, including national policy reform, higher agricultural productivity, improved rural incomes and markets, and restoration and conservation of natural resources vital to food security.
The visitors’ first appointment in northwest Florida was at Oakcrest Elementary School where they were welcomed by Leigh South and provided with information concerning the Oakcrest gardening program. This information was followed by a visit to a 5th grade classroom where they received a lesson in gardening and planting. A visit with the school’s culinary club was next and the visitors were then able to observe the school lunch program and speak with the cafeteria manager. The appointment at the school concluded with brief visitor presentations where the group was able to share information about their homeland.
Following the school visit, the group met with Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council Executive director Jena Melançon who presented them with an overview of area history and facts on current demographics. Shortly thereafter, the group broke for lunch in downtown Pensacola.
Next, at the Port of Pensacola, the group met with Adeleke Harmon, an agricultural specialist, and Frank Lenox, Port Director. Both discussed the processes required for the inspection of food imports, and the group was able to see how food to be exported is handled at the facility.
This was following by a trip to Joe Patti’s Seafood Company where they met Perry and Claude Baniakas who gave the group a tour of the facility. The visitors discussed health and safety issues that affected the enterprise due to the BP oil spill and observed operational safety procedures at the business.
Libby Johnson of Escambia County Extension coordinated the next two days of the program. Apiary Inspector Doug Corbin also took off a day of work to join Libby and the group to answer any on-site technical questions. (Thank you Libby & Doug!)
The first of the Johnson-crafted appointments took place at the agricultural inspection station three miles east of the Alabama border on Interstate 10 where the group met with Capt. Ben Burns. The Florida Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement operates 23 agricultural inspection stations where agricultural vehicle inspections are conducted every day, around the clock, in order to protect Florida’s food supply and agricultural industry. Capt. Burns discussed the process of agricultural inspections and at the end of the meeting presented each visitor with an honorary citizenship certificate from the City of Pensacola.
Next, the group took a farm tour which included visits to the Golden Peanut Company and Jones Livestock Operation. At the Golden Peanut Company, visitors met with Timmy Russell and discussed security measures ensuring the safety of the commodity at a peanut-buying facility. At Jones Livestock Operation they continued their examination of farming practices in the United States.
The group concluded their day by celebrating St. Patrick’s Day at Assumption Catholic Church and then joining Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council members Mike and Karen Jurkowich for tea and cake in their home.
The final day of appointments began with an overview of the Escambia County Extension Service and a garden tour. Elizabeth Bolles and Andrew Diller from the Escambia County / University of Florida IFAS Extension explained the duties of their office and how the extension uses research conducted by the University of Florida. The group also learned about the numerous educational programs that the organization operates.
This meeting was followed by another day of farm tours with Libby Johnson and Josh McElhaney, district soil conservationist and farmer. For this round, the group went to Green Acres Farm to meet with Mark Casson at his small family-run farm. The visitors observed a hog, sheep, and poultry operation where animals are raised on pasture and a rotational grazing system is utilized. Following this, the group was invited to lunch with the Casson family, an experience which received rave reviews.
Thank you to everyone who participated in this project. We couldn’t have done it without you!
