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Call To Action
by Frank Giles
frgiles@meistermedia.com
Don’t Just Tell Us
Now is the time to make your voice heard to key decision makers. Write a letter, send an email, and make a call to the contacts below about how you feel regarding the importance of IFAS.
Contact your lawmaker by going to
www.leg.state.fl.us.
J. Bernard Machen, President
University of Florida
226 Tigert Hall
Gainesville, FL 32611
Phone 352-392-1311
Fax 352-392-9506
donnas@ufl.edu
Florida Board of Governors
State University System
325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1614
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
Phone 850-245-0466
Fax 850-245-9685
chancellor@flbog.org
University of Florida Board of Trustees
123 Tigert Hall
P.O. Box 113125
Gainesville, FL 32611-3125
Phone 352-392-1358
Fax 352-392-2792
karon@ufl.edu
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When We love hearing from our readers, and the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) budget-cut issue has generated quite a response, some of which are listed here. Some people expressed anger over the notion of cutting IFAS, like Knox Bagwell. He writes: “Surely those GOP FARMERS, along with their legislative friends and governor, don’t have such a short memory, as to remember they voted for their whopping $20 per month rebate from their state recently with the passing of that foolish amendment. You don’t suppose they actually BELIEVED their GOP policies wouldn’t affect THEM personally, only those elephants that voted against cutting off our nose to spite our face...DO YOU?...It’s called QUALITY of LIFE! Just because you personally do not use a particular cost of our government, it does not mean that its function does not contribute to the whole and general well being of the society we ALL call home.”
Other growers pointed out the need for IFAS and Extension services like Phil Liang, who writes: “I am a small farmer in Palm Beach County. I have approximately 200 acres under cultivation. I grow tropical fruits, lychees, and longans. For diversification, I also grow landscape trees. I would like to voice the need of UF/IFAS and local ag Extension services for growers like me. I depend on them for technical help, which I would not be able to get anywhere else. I am aware of the budget woes at the state level and the talk about cutting the budget for UF/IFAS. As the Editor of Florida Grower, I am counting on you to voice the need for IFAS/Extension services for growers like us.”
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