A Florida native who grew up in Union County on his family’s farm, Lowell Loadholtz spent a distinguished 33-year career with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences as an Extension service director and agent in Escambia, Brevard and Okeechobee counties. His leadership and commitment to Florida agriculture has benefited and helped...

As an agent with the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Dr. Bruce Christmas was known for his research in poultry science as well as his work as an educator.  Christmas spent the bulk of his career as director of the University of Florida’s Poultry Evaluation Center in Chipley, conducting field trials and keeping local...

Charles Raymond “Chuck” Smith has dedicated his very productive and energetic life to improving, promoting, and protecting Florida agriculture. The industry could not have asked for a more passionate advocate. Smith has served agriculture in a variety of capacities, as a county extension agent, a farm manager, and a legislator. In each position he has...

Henry Frederick Swanson has been a lifelong advocate for agriculture and helped protect agriculture during Orange County’s transition from a rural county to the world tourist destination and corporate metropolis it is today. In 1948, he joined the Orange County Extension Service, where he worked for the next 30 years. Swanson was the first extension...

Dr. Marshall O. Watkins’ contributions to agriculture span seven decades. As the dean and director of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Watkins utilized the latest in scientific information and supported advanced graduate work for county agents. He was committed to a strong program of continuing professional improvement that kept the extension system up-to-date with rapidly...

Willard M. Fifield was an agricultural researcher and educator who, throughout his career, encouraged effective measures to boost Florida’s agricultural production through efficient use of scientific methods. Fifield served as Provost of Agriculture at the University of Florida from 1955 until 1962. In this capacity, he coordinated the programs of the University’s College of Agriculture,...

In 36 years with the Florida Agricultural Experiment Stations and the Cooperative Extension Service, J. Francis Cooper of Gainesville disseminated information about all phases of Florida agriculture and rural home life through the print media, radio and television.