See the details of The Florida Forestry Association’s Annual Meeting, and some statistics on Florida’s forest industry.

If you’re in the Florida timber industry, chances are you’re heading over to the Florida Forestry Association’s Annual Meeting in Sandestin, Florida, at the end of August. Slated for Tuesday, August 29th through Thursday, August 31st, the event will give those in the timber business in Florida the chance to get together, see the latest innovations at the coinciding trade show, and examine important industry topics. Get a sneak peek at what this year’s Florida Forestry Association’s Annual Meeting will include, as well as take a look at Florida’s timber industry, below.

At the Florida Forestry Association’s Annual Meeting

Billed as the “largest gathering of forest business owners and managers, landowners, and professional foresters in Florida,” the Annual Meeting of the Florida Forestry Association includes presentations, ‘Roundtable Discussions’, meetings, events, and the trade show featuring a host of exhibitors.

Highlights include:

• Golf Tournament.
• Roundtable Discussion: Impact of Invasive Weeds on Forests, with Dr. Pat Minogue.
• A General Session with Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, Adam Putnam.
• The Forestry Council Meeting.
• Exhibits by industry partners like Bayer, the Florida Forest Service, Coldwell Banker Commercial Saunders Real Estate Forestry Group, and many more.

AgAmerica’s Relationship Manager, Patrick Spinosa, will be at The Florida Forestry Association’s Annual Meeting to attend the event’s discussions and activities and to speak with those in the Florida timber industry.

A Look at the Florida Forestry Industry

While not the largest industry related to agriculture in Florida, forestry is an important industry in The Sunshine State. Forest statistics from the Florida Forestry Association maintain that forests account for about half of Florida’s land acreage, covering over 17 million acres. The Florida forest industry supported 78 wood mills in The Sunshine State in 2015, with the majority being saw mills, mulch mills, and pulp/paper mills.

According to a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Impact Fact Sheet, in 2014, Florida hosted over 15 million acres of “working forest” timberland that generated over $16 billion in “total output impacts.” The industry employs over 77,000 Floridians. While the timber industry was hit hard by the Great Recession, employment in Florida’s forestry industry has increased by 20 percent from 2008 to 2014.

AgAmerica Lending supports the nation’s forestry and timber industries with custom timber land loans. Read some of our timber success stories, such as how we helped a Florida businessman buy over 780+ acres of timberland and recreational land, and then contact us to see how we can assist you in the timber industry today.