FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

FLORIDA’S DEVOTED FARMERS TO BE INDUCTED INTO
AGRICULTURAL HALL OF FAME

- Agriculture Leaders to be Honored at Agricultural Banquet -

4800 U.S. Highway 301 North
Tampa, FL 33610
Phone (813) 621-7821             Fax (813) 740-3505             http://www.floridastatefair.com/

[NEWS RELEASE] TAMPA, FL. — January 21, 2008.   Four Florida farmers and agricultural leaders will be inducted into the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame on Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at the Florida State Fair’s 30th annual Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame dinner banquet.  More than 700 people from throughout Florida are expected to attend the awards dinner banquet and induction ceremony at 7 p.m. in the Charles M. Davis Special Events Center building.

The 2008 inductees to the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame are:

• Pete Clemons – Okeechobee, FL
• Hugh English – LaBelle, FL
• Fritz Stein – Belle Glade, FL
• Alto Straughn – Waldo, FL

"These individuals are outstanding leaders in the Florida agriculture community,” said Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture, Charles Bronson.  "Their areas of expertise and hours of dedicated service keep Florida’s agricultural industry a viable one for this state."
  
The induction of these devoted individuals will bring the grand total of Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame inductees to 124.  The Agricultural Hall of Fame welcomed the following inductees in 2007: William R. Boardman, Albert Greenberg, Carroll Wayne Hawkins, Berryman “Buster” Longino, and Ed and Imogene Yarborough.

"The contributions of these individuals have left an indelible mark on Florida agriculture,” said Reggie Brown, president of the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame. “Their tireless, unselfish efforts to promote and protect Florida’s greatest industry will be recognized with the agriculture community’s highest honor.”

To acquire dinner tickets to the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame banquet, please contact the Florida Poultry Federation at (813) 628-4551.

All acts, concerts, scheduled times, exhibitors, prices, and other advertised events are subject to change and/or cancel without notice.  Fair gate admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children ages six to 11; and free for children five and younger.  NO RE-ENTRY is permitted without an admission ticket.  Gates open daily at 9 a.m. and parking is free during the 12 days of the Fair. 

The Florida State Fairgrounds is located just seven miles east of downtown Tampa, with easy access via I-75, I-4, U.S. Highway 301, Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, and Orient Road.  For more information about the 2008 Florida State Fair, call toll-free (800) 345-FAIR or (813) 621-7821, visit http://www.floridastatefair.com/ or http://myspace.com/floridastatefair.

The 104th annual Florida State Fair will take place on February 7-18, 2008.  The Florida State Fair – always in Tampa and always in February – is organized by the Florida State Fair Authority under the leadership of Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.  Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson leads the Fair Authority, which oversees the Florida State Fairgrounds and the annual Florida State Fair.

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For media inquiries, please contact:
Denise Shreaves:  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  
Manager of Marketing & Public Relations
Florida State Fair Authority
Phone (813) 627-4314
Cell (813) 732-0141
 
OR

Vince Caruso:  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Marketing Director 
Florida State Fair Authority
Phone (813) 627-4222