Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
04/24/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/24/2024 08:40
Commissioner Wilton Simpson Announces 2024 Winner of Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award
Costa Farms, Miami, Florida
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Today, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced Costa Farms as the 2024 winner of the Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award. The Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award has been presented annually since 1994 and spotlights environmentally innovative growers and ranchers who share a commitment to protecting and preserving Florida's resources while continuing to produce the world-class agricultural goods we rely on.
"I am pleased to recognize Costa Farms as this year's Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award winner," said Commissioner Wilton Simpson. "Horticulture plays a vital role in Florida's agricultural landscape, contributing to our economy, food supply, and natural beauty. It is a thriving industry thanks to our favorable climate and innovative growers like Costa Farms."
Costa Farms, located in Miami, Florida, is one of the largest commercial plant growers in the United States, employing over 5,000 professional growers and support staff. The company has been family owned and operated for over 60 years. Costa Farms are certified members of More Profitable Sustainability (MPS), an industry-recognized standard that looks for ways to balance and minimize pesticides and nutrients into the environment in an ecofriendly way. They have over 34 acres of conservation easements, 16 acres of water storage and retention areas, and over 60 acres of wetlands on the National Wetland Inventory. Costa Farms has a water moisture program for plants that help conserve water and allows for less fertilizer flow out of the pots. The company reduces waste by reusing plant trays, dumping plant materials back into the soil and grinding discarded pallets into fine chips to be used in their potting mix.
Costa Farms will be recognized by Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson at the Fresh From Florida Breakfast in October at the Florida Farm Bureau Annual meeting.
Visit FDACS.gov for more information about the Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award, including past winners.
For more information about Commissioner Simpson and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FDACS.gov.
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