46th Annual Santa Rosa County Farm Tour
Mike Donahoe, County Extension Director, Santa Rosa County
On Thursday, July 19, over 225 local officials and area citizens participated in the 46th Annual Santa Rosa County Farm Tour. On the day-long bus tour they learned first-hand about agriculture and its importance to the local economy. Stops on the tour included Whispering Pines Christmas Tree Farm, Shannon Flinn Farm, a “Visit with Beekeeper’s”, Chumuckla’s Farmers Opry, UF/IFAS WFREC Jay Research Farm, and Holland Farms.
A highlight of the tour was recognition of the Shannon Flinn Family as the “Outstanding Farm Family of the Year”. Shannon and his wife Audra, along with daughter Megan and sons Sheldon and Aaron, accepted the award from County Commissioner Don Salter. Sheilah Bowman, Florida District Director for Congressman Jeff Miller, presented the family with a copy of remarks that Congressman Miller recorded in the Congressional Record honoring them for their accomplishments. They also received a commemorative crystal vase from the North Florida Fair. The Flinns farm 500 acres of corn, cotton, peanuts, and soybeans. They are leaders in our county’s production of food and fiber and are actively involved in various agricultural organizations. In addition to the Flinn family, tour organizers presented a plaque to retired Extension Agent Dan Mullins honoring him for his many years of dedicated service to the agricultural community.
The Farm Tour is organized each year by the Santa Rosa Farm Tour Committee, comprised of representatives from various agricultural support agencies in the county. Of course, the tour would not be possible without the help of numerous supporters and corporate sponsors.
The Farm Tour Committee would like to thank the following area businesses for helping sponsor the tour this year and making it a huge success: Birdsong Peanuts, Burkhead Gin Company, Charter Bank, Crop Production Services, Escambia River Electric Coop, Ever’man Natural Food Co-op, Farm Bureau Insurance Services, Farm Credit of Northwest Florida, Floyd Crop Insurance, Golden Gin & Warehouse, Griswold Peanut Company, Gulf Power Company, Helena Chemical Company, Jay Peanut Farmers Coop, John L. Burkhead Inc., Kiwanis Club of Santa Rosa-Sunrise, Lowry Farms, Pen Air Federal Credit Union, Publix, Regions Bank, Resource Management Services, Santa Rosa County Fair Inc., Santa Rosa County Farm Bureau, Smith Tractor Company, Three Rivers RC&D Council, Tuffy-“ A Real American Quarter Horse”, United Bank, and Walmart.
