Florida might evoke images of beaches and citrus, but the Sunshine State boasts a 500-year-old cattle industry with deep roots in its history and identity. Today, that ancient industry is fueling a modern mission: feeding Florida’s food-insecure population. Here is an inside look at the history of Florida beef, the story of one dedicated rancher, Joe Planz of Providence Cattle, and how high-quality protein is reaching those who need it most.
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Halloween is all about fun, costumes, and a few playful tricks, but it doesn’t have to be a sugar overload. Introducing healthy snacks during Halloween is a great way to keep the fun going without the candy-induced crash. At Feeding Florida, we believe in balance, so we tested a few fun, healthy recipes to help your family enjoy every sweet moment and feel good along the way.
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It’s no secret that hunger is a growing challenge in Florida communities. From local leaders to community organizations, many feel called to step up—but where do they begin? We sat down with Patti DeLaCruz, Director of Agency Relations at Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, to talk about how food pantries get started, how they become part of a larger network, and the unique role school-based pantries are playing across the state. Join us to learn how food moves from the food banks through our communities.
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From Farm Fields to Food Bank -- Peanuts are more than just a tasty snack or a key ingredient in peanut butter sandwiches—they’re also an important crop for Florida farmers and a vital food for families across our state. Recently, we sat down with Gregg Grimsley, President of Peanut Proud, to learn about how peanuts are grown in Florida, why they matter, and how peanut butter helps food banks keep families fed.
Read Full News PostFlorida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, along with state Senate President Ben Albritton, visited Feeding Tampa Bay to announce the Farmers Feeding Florida program. “We have food insecurity all over this state,” Simpson said. State lawmakers and the governor approved $38 million in the recent state budget for the Farmers Feeding Florida initiative. $28 million is meant to buy excess crops and milk from Florida farms, which food banks will distribute. $10 million is to expand food banks and pantries, especially in rural areas.
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Florida is investing in a program that will help local farmers and hungry families. This year, lawmakers allocated $38 million toward Farmers Feeding Florida, a new statewide initiative to expand an existing food purchase program between local growers and food banks.
Read Full News PostSenate President Ben Albritton called the program a 'hand up, not a handout.' What happens to all the dairy farmers when students are out of school for the Summer and not guzzling milk cartons? State leaders say a new state program has found the solution by connecting farmers and ranchers dealing with surpluses in the slow season to families struggling to make ends meet.
Read Full News PostFlorida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson, Senate President Ben Albritton (R-Wauchula), and Senate President Pro Tempore Jason Brodeur (R-Sanford) today joined Feeding Tampa Bay leadership, Feeding Florida Network Board Members, local Dairy farmers and processors, and representatives from various sectors of Florida’s iconic agriculture industry for the launch of Florida’s statewide Farmers Feeding Florida initiative.
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In our new blog series, “How does that work?” we will bring readers closer to the work our food banks do every day. This month we’re diving into procurement—how food banks get food—which turns out to be far more complex than it sounds. Considering the network moved over 400 Million pounds of food last fiscal year, we have to know- how does a food bank get food to begin with?
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One of the most important teachings within the Nutrition Education curriculum to save time and money is meal planning. It’s not as hard as it seems, but it does help to have useful steps to guide you. Explore this step by step 5-day meal planner, and also hear tips and tricks from our Florida Nutrition Ed Regional Director, Rebecca Rodriguez.
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