Dr. James M. Davidson devoted nearly 25 years of his life in service to Florida agriculture. He made substantial contributions to the field of soil science and provided invaluable support to the agriculture industry through his leadership of the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Davidson was born on April 16, 1934, in The Dalles, Oregon. He earned his Ph.D. in soil physics at the University of California at Davis in 1965. He served on the faculty of Oklahoma State University before coming to Florida in 1974 as a professor of soil science at UF/IFAS. Davidson spent 24 years at the University of Florida, moving steadily up the ranks. He was selected to serve as professor and assistant dean for research in 1979, and dean for research in 1986. In January 1992 he was asked to serve as interim vice president for Agriculture and Natural Resources. In October 1992, after an international search, he was appointed vice president for Agriculture and Natural Resources. In this capacity Davidson served as the administrative head of UF/IFAS. As an administrator Davidson directed the statewide IFAS research program toward the most pressing problems facing Florida agriculture. He also made programmatic and organizational changes that improved the institute's ability to carry out its mission. He focused on better coordinating the efforts of the Research and Education Centers with the needs of various agricultural commodity groups. During his research career at the university, Davidson generated $2.5 million in research grants and developed dramatic conceptual models for simulating the movement of water and solutes through soil systems. The data produced from his research models have been used to generate conclusions supporting Florida's agricultural production practices. His models are still widely used by local, state and federal agencies to describe the behavior of soil-applied pesticides and other organic materials transferred in water through soils.
Davidson published dozens of articles in scientific journals and industry trade magazines. He edited books examining the environmental impact of non-point source pollution and the effects of conservation tillage on groundwater quality. He did consulting work for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Army Toxic and Hazardous Materials Agency. Davidson is a past chair of the Southern Association of Experiment Station Directors and the Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy (ESCOP) of the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges (NASULGC). He is a past chair of the NASULGC National and Regional Administrative Heads Sections and a past president of the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists. He has served as a member of the ESCOP Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Groundwater Quality and Quantity and the NASULGC Committee on Biotechnology. Davidson has been named a fellow in the Soil Science Society of America and the American Society of Agronomy. He is a member of the Soil and Crop Science Society of Florida, Sigma XI, the International Soil Science Society and the Florida State Horticultural Society. In 1998 he was named Florida Agriculture Man of the Year by Progressive Farmer magazine and received the Top Tomato Award from the Florida Tomato Committee. Upon his retirement that same year, he received a Resolution of Appreciation from Governor Lawton Chiles and the Florida Cabinet in recognition of his many years of service to the State. He is listed in American Men of Science, Men of Achievement, Who's Who in the South and Who's Who in Science and Engineering. Davidson and his wife, Peg, live in Gainesville. They have three grown daughters, Deborah, Jodi and Michelle.
Affectionately known as "Mr. Tomato," Paul J. DiMare is the largest grower of fresh-market tomatoes in the United States and one of the country's most influential farmers. He has made major contributions to the industry in the areas of trade, product enhancement and public awareness. DiMare was born on April 14, 1941, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. After graduating from Georgetown University, he went to work for the family business, The DiMare Companies, which grow, pack and ship tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and squash. The DiMare Companies have operations in four states -- Florida, South Carolina, Massachusetts and California. DiMare is not only one of Florida's most successful growers, he is an industry leader. As chairman of the Florida Tomato Committee, DiMare helped bring about a number of positive changes for Florida farmers. He improved the quality of Florida tomatoes by implementing changes in grade standards, eliminating small tomatoes, and reducing box size. He was a strong supporter of research at the experiment stations to develop new breeds of tomatoes that would yield higher profits for producers. An articulate and captivating speaker, DiMare has become the voice of the Florida tomato farmer. He uses his excellent communication skills and extensive knowledge of the industry to educate elected officials and the general public about issues affecting Florida growers. An outspoken advocate of fair trade, DiMare was instrumental in pushing the anti-dumping suit that led to the 1996 Tomato Suspension Agreement between the U.S. Department of Commerce and Mexican tomato growers. He has testified before Congress on the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Trade Promotion Authority and trade in the Americas. DiMare encourages Florida farmers to get involved in the political process in order to defend Florida agriculture against unfair trading practices. He is chairman and co-founder of Florida Farmers, Inc. (FFI), an advocacy group for Florida vegetable growers. With over 300 members fighting for fair trade and fair market access, FFI has been influential in reshaping trade policy in Tallahassee and Washington. FFI lobbied Congress for mandatory country-of-origin labeling on fruits and vegetables, and its efforts led to the inclusion of mandatory labeling in the 2002 Farm Bill. FFI has built alliances with consumer, labor and environmental groups to inform consumers about the differences between American-grown produce and produce grown in other countries. DiMare contributes his time and expertise in service of the agriculture industry and his local community. He is active in the Dade County Farm Bureau and the Florida Tomato Exchange. He serves on the advisory board of Farm Share, a non-profit organization that works to alleviate hunger by recovering and distributing fresh food to America's needy. He is founder and trustee of the Paul J. DiMare Charitable Foundation and a strong supporter of the State of Florida's initiative to build affordable housing for farm workers. DiMare has won accolades from all sectors of the agriculture industry. In 1992 he was named Agriculturist of the Year by the Greater Homestead/Florida City Chamber of Commerce. In 1998 he was named Agriculturist of the Year by the Dade County Farm Bureau. He recently received an Award of Appreciation from Governor Jeb Bush. DiMare lives in Coral Gables with his wife, Swannee. They have four grown children, Tony, Paul Jr., Scott and Gino. Tony and Paul Jr. are involved in the family agribusiness.
William D. "Billy" Long came to Florida in 1952 with $2,000 and a John Deere tractor. Twenty-five years later he had revolutionized the way Florida farmers produce and harvest their crops. His innovations made Florida's agriculture industry more productive and more profitable, and his unbridled enthusiasm for Florida farming inspired legions of younger growers. As a young graduate of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Long was enticed by the fact that in Florida a farmer can grow crops all year round. He leased 60 acres in the Zellwood Drainage District near Lake Apopka and started his first crop of sweet corn. The 1953 corn season was one of the best on record, with good yields and good prices. Long's crop was outstanding, and with the profits he was able to purchase his uncle's farm nearby. Long's farm grew to be one of the largest, most diverse and well-managed farms in the area. Long became an innovator of farming techniques and developed a special knack for selecting new varieties of vegetables that were especially well-suited to central Florida. He worked closely with sweet-corn breeders, growing more trial plantings on his farm than any other grower in the United States. In 1960 he introduced Harris Seed Company's "Gold Cup" sweet corn to Zellwood and Florida. "Gold Cup" became the industry standard and was eventually grown on over 85 percent of the sweet-corn acreage in the state. Long's inventiveness revolutionized harvesting techniques and helped make Florida agriculture more efficient. He worked with corn harvester Jim Moody to design and build one of the first in-the-field mobile packing houses. Later he helped build a mechanical corn-picking device that became known as "The Sunshine Machine." Variations of these designs are still being used today. Long was one of the first farmers to grow carrots on the Zellwood muck lands. By 1980 he owned one of the largest carrot packing houses in the Southeast and was shipping his carrots all over the world. In the wake of the devastating freezes that crippled Central Florida's citrus industry in the mid-1980s, he helped form a carrot-concentrate co-op, one of his greatest achievements. Citrus-concentrate plants throughout the area were sitting idle, so Long and his neighboring farmers revamped a plant in Eustis, creating the first carrot-concentrate plant in the United States. Their product was a primary ingredient in Campbell's V-8 Splash. Long has generously shared his agricultural expertise with the industry and his community. He served on the Orange County Air and Water Pollution Control Board and the Orange County Agricultural Advisory Board. He has been active in the Farm Foundation and the Zellwood Drainage and Water Control District. A leader in the Florida Farm Bureau, he has served as an officer, director and past president of the Orange County Farm Bureau. He was appointed to the Governor's Migratory Labor Committee and the University of Florida SHARE Council. Long's leadership and expertise in agriculture have won him numerous awards and honors. In 1965 he was named Outstanding Young Farmer of the United States by the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce, and in 1968 he received the Ford Foundation Farm Efficiency Award. The State of Florida named him the Lancaster Sunbelt Expo Southern Farmer of the Year in 1994. For the past 11 years he has been recognized as one of the top 100 vegetable growers in the United States by American Vegetable Growers magazine. Long and his wife, Bobbie, live in Apopka. They have three grown children, Lisa, Bo and Bill Jr.
Born on May 9, 1939, Jo Ann Doke Smith grew up in Alachua County in a pioneer Florida farming and ranching family. She is a fourth-generation Floridian and has been a champion of agriculture throughout her entire career. Smith began her working life as an accountant and office manager in the family business, Smith Brothers Farming, Ranching and Construction Companies, in Wacahoota. Not long after, she began to get involved in the larger agricultural community and to take on leadership positions at the local, state and national level. In the 1970s she became a member of the Florida Beef Council, the USDA Animal Technical Advisory Committee on Livestock and Livestock Products, the USDA Foreign Animal Disease Advisory Committee and the USDA Meat Pricing Task Force. From 1970 to 1972, she served as president of the Florida Cattlewomen's Association. In 1984 Smith was appointed to the Governor's Task Force on the Future of Florida Agriculture. As part of the task force, Smith studied the issues affecting the sustainability and viability of Florida's agriculture industry. She advised and provided direction to the Florida Legislature regarding future laws, programs and funding. In 1985 Smith became the first female president of the National Cattlemen's Association, and she is now widely regarded as one of the most effective leaders in the organization's history. During her tenure she made countless appearances on behalf of the cattle industry before Congress and on national television. She also traveled to Japan and China on successful trade missions to open up Asian markets to U.S. beef imports. Smith is probably best known as the founding chair of the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board. In this position she spearheaded and developed the highly successful Beef Check-off Program. The marketing program is funded by a mandatory assessment of $1 per head collected each time cattle are sold. Assessments provide about $80 million annually for beef promotion and product development. A national advertising campaign has proven remarkably effective, improving the public's perception of beef's nutritional value and bringing about a dramatic rise in demand.
Smith served as assistant secretary for Marketing and Inspection Services of the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 1989 to 1993. In this position she set policy direction and managed multiple agencies under the jurisdiction of the USDA. She brought to the office an atmosphere of openness and professionalism and proved herself to be a woman of action on behalf of agriculture. Her leadership role on issues such as groundwater quality, rural development and animal welfare regulation had an impact on all farmers and consumers in Florida. Smith has represented Florida agriculture both nationally and internationally, serving on the corporate boards of some of the world's largest agriculture-related companies. She is a past director of Iowa Beef Producers and Purina Mills and currently serves on the board of Tyson Foods. As a board member she is respected for her knowledge, experience and personal integrity. Smith's leadership in the agriculture industry has earned her many awards and honors. In 1982 and again in 1988, she was named Man of the Year in American Agriculture by Progressive Farmer magazine. In 1992 she received a Good Government Award from the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association, and an Outstanding Contributions to American Agriculture Award from the National Agricultural Editors Association. In 1985 she was selected Woman of the Year in Agriculture by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Smith lives in Micanopy with her husband, Cedrick. They have two grown children, Marty and Terri.
A successful citrus grower, rancher and aquaculturist, Frank "Sonny" Williamson Jr. is among Florida's most progressive farmers. He is arguably Florida's -- and the nation's -- premier agro-ecologist. A visionary leader, Williamson understands that farmers must protect and preserve the natural environment in order to sustain their industry. For the last 25 years he has become increasingly committed to promoting responsible environmental stewardship. A fifth-generation Floridian, Williamson was born in Clearwater on December 15, 1929. After graduating from the University of Florida with a degree in agriculture, he went to work on his father's ranch, Williamson Cattle Company, in Okeechobee. He devoted the first 25 years of his career to Williamson Cattle, building it into one of the state's largest cattle producers. The company now owns more than 10,000 acres in Okeechobee County, as well as land in Alabama. Its holdings in Florida include over 1,000 acres of citrus and 2,500 heads of cattle. In Alabama it operates 48 ponds that cover 1,200 acres and produce more than 9 million pounds of catfish each year. Not only is Williamson Cattle one of the largest and most diversified farms in the Southeast, it is also a model for economic and environmental sustainability. Ever mindful of agriculture's interface with the natural environment, Williamson is a firm believer that agricultural decisions should be made based on sound science. To that end, he has been a tireless supporter of agricultural and environmental research. In the 1990s as a governing member and chairman of the South Florida Water Management District, he persuaded the district to fund agro-ecology research conducted by the University of Florida on Buck Island Ranch at Archibold Biological Station in Lake Placid. Today he is leading research efforts at the UF/IFAS Indian River Research and Education Center Aquaculture Demonstration Project. Williamson has gained a high level of respect among agriculturists, environmentalists and urban leaders and is known for his moderation and fairness. Lending his leadership skills to a diverse array of industry groups and conservation groups, he displays an uncanny ability to mobilize people to make rational decisions and work together toward a common goal. He has held leadership positions with the Okeechobee County Farm Bureau, the Okeechobee Soil and Water Conservation Board, the Florida Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, the Florida Cattlemen's Foundation and the University of Florida SHARE Council. Williamson is one of seven national winners of the 2004 National Cattlemen's Beef Association National Environmental Stewardship Award, presented by the Resources Conservation Service of the USDA. His special talents as a negotiator and mediator were recognized by the Florida Conflict Resolution Consortium in 2000 when he received the Ninth-Timer Powers Dispute Resolution Leadership Award. In 2003 he was named the Lancaster Sunbelt Farmer of the Year from Florida. That same year he received the Commissioner's Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the Florida Environmental Stewardship Award from the Florida Cattlemen's Association. He has been named an honorary member of Future Farmers of America as a result of his ongoing support of the organization. Williamson's progressive vision has helped keep agriculture strong and viable in Florida. He will be long remembered for his efforts to improve agricultural management to sustain the industry and protect the natural resources on which it depends. Williamson lives in Okeechobee with his wife, Betty. They have three grown children, Wes, Kim and Karen.
