Message From Commissioner Charles H. Bronson
Dear Friend:
Seafood is an important part of our state's heritage and economy. Florida is a source of excellent seafood, aquaculture and marine life products. Florida's fishermen harvest 98 different types of seafood on a commercial scale with 2005 cash receipts totaling more than $165 million. Florida aquaculture producers farm a vast array of products with sales totaling $75 million in 2005. Tropical fish, aquatic plants and clams are the top three aquaculture operations. Florida seafood and aquaculture has an economic impact estimated at more than $1.3 billion annually.
As Commissioner of Agriculture, it's my job to help promote Florida seafood, aquaculture and agricultural products and expand markets for our state's fishermen and growers. This is increasingly important in today's competitive global economy.
Key to our marketing effort is the Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign, or FAPC. This program, established by the Florida Legislature in 1990, is a joint venture between the private sector and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The FAPC membership is made up of more than 3,700 fishermen, farmers, shippers, distributors, retailers and allied members.
Members are entitled to use the distinctive "Fresh from Florida" logo to identify and promote their Florida-produced and harvested products to consumers in domestic and foreign markets. The logo appears in television and print campaigns, on packaging and point-of-purchase materials, and is prominently displayed in the Department's exhibits at trade missions and events.
Each year, our Department's marketing representatives work with retail supermarket executives to further the efforts of the FAPC and secure and create new markets for Florida producers, fishermen, shippers and wholesalers of Florida products.
In addition, our marketing reps conduct foreign trade missions to help to increase exports of Florida products. They also use other trade events to showcase Florida products to buyers from around the world.
If you are involved in any aspect of Florida seafood, aquaculture or agriculture, I encourage you to join the FAPC.
Thank you for visiting Bureau of Seafood and Aquaculture Marketing web
site here at
www.FL-Seafood.com. I hope you find this site useful.
And please remember to look for the "Fresh from Florida" label.
Sincerely,
CHARLES H. BRONSON
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture
