INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Celebrating 10 Years
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IN THE NEWS
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AGRITOURISTS EXPERIENCE LEE COUNTY FARMS
GrowFL accepting applications for contest For recognition as one of the 2017 “Top Companies to Watch” in Florida, GrowFL invites entrepreneurs to apply for this prestigious honor. Over the last six years, 300 companies from throughout Florida have been recognized at the GrowFL event, held this year on October 14 at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa. Last year’s 50 Florida Companies to Watch winners generated more than $1.1 billion in revenue from 2012 to 2015 and added 1,200 employees during that same time period. CONTEST See page 18
Charlotte resident earns diploma through library Arlene Dvorak is the first Charlotte County resident to earn her diploma through the Career Online High School program at a Charlotte County Library. In 2016, the Charlotte County Library System applied for and was selected by the State of Florida to offer qualified community members the opportunity to earn an accredited high school diploma and credentialed career certificate through Career Online High School, the world’s first accredited, private online school district. The Charlotte County Library System awards scholarships for Career Online High School to qualified learners looking to earn their high school diploma and advance their careers. DIPLOMA See page 5
5th Avenue Films hosts premier event in Naples Local film company 5th Avenue Films hosts a red carpet premier for the first of its sceenplays on May 16 at the Sugden Community Theatre in Naples. The event will be a theatrical experience beginning at 6:30 p.m. and concluding with a reception afterwards. Tickets are availble online at www.5thavenuefilms.com. FILM See page 18
Photos by Jim Jett Christine Lindsey, owner of “The Sprout Queen,” participates in a Pine Island farm tour held by the UF/IFAS Lee County Extension in March.
Lee County Extension holds local farm tours
UF/IFAS Lee County Extension held a day of farm tours in Lee County on March 15. The tours departed from Terry Park in Fort Myers. Participants enjoyed an agritourism experience as they saw new trends in tropical agriculture and met enthusiastic, innovative farmers. The trek visited four local farms and groves on Pine Island. The tour was held as an agritourism initiative that fulfills the mission and purpose of the University of Florida IFAS Lee County Extension and Lee County Parks & Recreation. The University of Florida/IFAS Lee County Extension offers educational programs through a three-way cooperative arrangement between the Lee County Board of County Commissioners, the University of Florida and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Local extension agents are offcampus faculty members of the University of Florida.
Above: Consumers can buy produce directly from farms following tours. Left: Livestock, which includes roosters and hens, also makes a contribution to local agribusiness.
Economic incubators creating culinary opportunities The Collier County Office of Business & Economic Development, through a non-profit, Economic Incubators, plans to open a 5,274-squarefoot state-of-the-art culinary kitchen—the Florida Culinary Accelerator @Immokalee—that will offer shareduse food processing space for a broad array of hot and cold products, produce, sauces, baked goods, juices and beverages. A groundbreaking was held on March 2. A micro-market, Woodstock’s Market, at the Naples Accelerator off Pine Ridge Road, held its grand opening the same day. The market will enable culinary accelerator participants
Photo by Jim Jett Marshall Goodman, CEO of Economic Incubators, speaks at the opening of Woodstock’s Market. to showcase and sell their products. The University of Florida’s Southwest Florida Research & Education Center
in Immokalee will provide a food testing lab. The accelerator, planned for a renovated warehouse at Immokalee Regional Airport, will be designed for use by farmers and cooperatives, start-up food companies and homekitchen chef entrepreneurs. However, it also will be available to mid-size food companies, retail and food service companies and commercial users. Future phases will include an alcoholdistillation machine and an HPP machine, a hyperbaric non-heated pressurization process that will keep food, produce and juices fresher and safer for longer periods.
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