TAMPA, Fla. (Jan. 7, 2025) — Tickets are on sale for the 45th annual Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame banquet, which will honor four inductees who have made invaluable contributions to Florida agriculture. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on Feb. 11.
The banquet, which each year celebrates the accomplishments of industry leaders who have served in research, education, and business, will be held in the Entertainment Hall at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. The reception begins at 6 p.m., with the dinner and program following at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $85 per person, and tables of eight are available. Mentor sponsorship tickets, which allow youth in agriculture to attend the event at no cost and meet industry leaders, are also available. Tickets can be purchased online at floridaaghalloffame2025.eventbrite.com. Online ticket sales close Feb. 4.
“It is exciting to come together to recognize four outstanding honorees who have made significant and lasting contributions to Florida agriculture,” said Ray Hodge, president of the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Foundation. “Cary and Marcia Lightsey, Madeline Mellinger, and Jim Strickland have each demonstrated a lifetime of leadership, dedication, and innovation.”
The 2025 inductees will bring the total who have been honored to 185. They are:
For more information about the 2025 Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame honorees and previous inductees, visit FloridaAgHallofFame.org. Nominations for 2026 are currently being accepted. Nomination forms can be found on the Hall of Fame website.