Florida Crystals and Fellow EAA Farmers Celebrate More Than 25 Years of Sending Clean Water to Everglades
Florida Crystals is delighted by the announcement that our Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) farming region has once again achieved better than the State of Florida's water-quality goal for water flowing south to the Everglades.
The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) reported in August EAA farmers had reduced phosphorus in the water by 59 percent, which is more than two times better than the State's 25 percent reduction goal. It is an incredible accomplishment that we are so proud of as it marks more than 25 years that our farming community has surpassed the goal of the Everglades Forever Act.
The result also means that EAA farmers have annually reduced phosphorus levels by an average of 55 percent over the past 26 years.
“This accomplishment speaks volumes to the diligence of our talented team and our EAA farming community and demonstrates the success of our partnerships with local and state water managers,” said Jaime Vega, Florida Crystals' Vice President of Agriculture. “This also marks a great victory for our sustainable farming practices, while emphasizing the importance of the EAA to our country’s food supply.”
Thanks to the unique muck soil in the EAA, Florida Crystals as well as other farmers in our agricultural basin grow a number of crops that make us the winter vegetable capital of America.
On our Florida Crystals farms, we rotate our sugarcane with rice, sweet corn and other vegetables, just one of the many Best Management Practices (BMPs) embraced by EAA farmers to help us achieve the strictest water-quality standard in the nation!
In addition to crop rotation, we also use lasers to ensure our fields are perfectly level, which keeps soil and water on our farms, and we also test our soil to precisely apply the exact nutrients necessary only when and where they are needed.
Thank you to everyone who contributes to making this massive undertaking such a success!