How big is the Florida Agricultural industry? Large enough to have it’s very own ‘Hall of Fame’ that honors entrepreneurs, cattle ranchers, citrus growers and other producers in our State. But even so, many people do not know how many exceptional business owners and ranch families we have in the State of Florida, who do more than run their ranches; they find ways to help protect the environment too.
If you’ve read some of our other articles, or follow us on Facebook, you know how proud we are to be part of a sweeping change that educates and informs Florida residents about our local cattle industry. There are some exceptional Ranchers and business leaders in our state who have taken a profound interest in protecting pasture lands and Florida’s wild spaces, not just because their livelihoods depend on it, but because it matters to them.
The Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame is one way that the industry and public can learn more about these exceptional Ranchers, and the hard work they are doing (volunteer in many cases) to make a difference. They want to help protect the legacy of Florida’s natural wildlife and green spaces, and we’d like to recognize a few of them on our blog.
Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Honors Lifelong Cattle Ranchers
Life on a ranch is hard work, so when these agricultural entrepreneurs managed both their commercial ranches and managed to find extra time to volunteer with various agricultural programs, you know they really cared about Florida’s beef industry.
Learn more about some of the inductees and what they did, to further the cattle industry in our state, and to promote education and awareness both in-state, and across the country to help support ranchers, farm families and the Florida agricultural economy.
1. Lowell Loadholtz
Mr. Loadholtz grew up on his family farm in Union County, Florida and he spent an impressive 33 years as an Extension Service Director and Agent at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, serving Escambia, Brevard and Okeechobee counties.
Passionate about the agricultural industry in Florida, Mr. Loadholtz spent a lot of time representing the industry on a variety of topics and concerns, and he was frequently a spokesperson for Florida agriculture in Washington, D.C. He was the professional behind over 100 agriculture information days, where he led tours for growers and government policy makers.
An avid writer, Lowell Loadholtz created almost 2,000 letters and articles, and he hosted a twice-daily radio show for over 13 years. He was one of the driving forces behind the planning, fundraising and construction of the Brevard County Agricultural Center and 4-H Horse Arena, and was a strong supporter of the Florida 4-H program for youths.
2. Joe Marlin Hilliard
Mr. Hilliard was born in Fort Myers Florida and grew up in Hendry County. If you recognize his surname, it is because of the Hilliard Brothers Cattle Ranch, which was founded by his grandfather back in 1906. The ranch was passed to his father and uncle in the 1920s, and eventually the ranch was passed on to Joe.
Not content to simply operate the multigenerational cattle ranch, Joe Marlin Hilliard worked hard to advance his operations and method of raising grass-fed cattle. He helped develop thousands of acres into managed pasture land. In 1961 he created research and educational projects with the IFAS Immokalee REC, and he was a founding member of the South Florida Agricultural Council. He had previously served as an officer of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association and was a member of the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission.
3. Thomas H. Braddock
Born in Duval County Florida, Mr. Thomas H. Braddock still manages his cattle operation, while being a vocal and active participant in the Florida agricultural community. After attaining his B.A. and M.S. in Agriculture from the University of Florida, he actively researched how ranchers could lower winter maintenance costs for herd feeding and published the “Interval Feeding of Ruminants”. This resource is still a guide that is used today for Florida cattle ranchers.
If you think you recognize Mr. Braddock’s face, you may have seen him on a local television show that he hosted called “Hi Neighbor” from 1975 to 1991. This was a popular television show that discussed management of natural resources in Florida, and explored life on the ranch, family owned farms, food production in Florida and sensitive environmental debates.
To help inspire future environmental and agricultural leaders of tomorrow in Florida, Mr. Braddock and his wife Mary created the Thomas H. Braddock Jr. Trust Agreement and pledged $1,700,000 to the University of Florida Foundation. The money will be used to create an endowed chair for the Department of Animal Sciences, which will support the growth and development of the Florida 4-H Leadership Program.
We encourage you to visit the official website for the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame and read though all the amazing personal and professional profiles of the inductees. You’ll see a common theme; people who care about ranching, and care even more about protecting a legacy of greenspace for future generations of Florida residents. In our books, it makes each one of the Hall of Fame members an exceptional leader and hero for the State of Florida.