Florida Agriculture Jobs Could be Saved
Florida’s recent purchase of property from a sugar-producing company could help save thousands of Florida agriculture jobs.
As with the rest of the nation, Florida’s economy is facing trouble and the state treasury has been limited. However, the state announced it will modify its purchase of U.S. Sugar Co.’s property in the Everglades, a move that will benefit environmental and economic aspects of the deal. According to an article by the News-Press, these modifications could help save the company’s 1,700 employees from losing their jobs.
Changes to the original plan should reduce the acreage to be bought from the company from 187,000 to 182,500, leaving U.S. Sugar with no crop land. However, the company would keep its high-tech sugar mill, citrus-processing plant and other industrial assets. This would cut the cost of the purchase from $1.75 billion to $1.34 billion plus interest. U.S. Sugar Co. had originally planned to phase out its sugar business within the next six years, but may now continue production on certain parts of the property.
Some are hoping the plan will prioritize environmental goals while diminishing negative economic impacts, while keeping some of the land purchased in agricultural production. It has also been suggested the state use the purchase to create a southern flow way for excess Lake Okeechobee water, which would mean less contaminated water would be dumped into the Caloosahatchee River and Lee County’s estuary, which happened in 2004 and 2005.
“The purchase renewed hope that the Everglades Restoration plan might actually be realized,” the article notes. “Continuing agriculture on part of the state land must not be allowed to dash that hope. But that said, we have learned this bitter year that jobs that can be saved should be saved.”
Most recently, there has been talk of other possible economic development in the region, including construction of an ethanol plant. If that plant used sugar and other efficient raw materials, it could mean a win for everyone involved.