FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Green Jean Foundation Featured in “Clippings” Newsletter
Port Charlotte, FL – October 14, 2024 – The Green Jean Foundation is proud to announce its recent feature in “Clippings,” a quarterly newsletter produced by Turfgrass Producers of Florida. The article, titled “The Green Jean Foundation: On A Mission for Agriculture,” highlights the Foundation’s dedication to educating young people about agriculture and encouraging them to consider careers in this vital industry.
Vision and Inspiration
Matt Palmer, the visionary behind The Green Jean Foundation, shared his journey and the inspiration behind the Foundation. “I realized that more and more young people were moving out of agriculture while the average age of producers was going up. This was alarming,” Palmer explained. “All I could think was: we should be increasing those numbers – not reducing them.”
Bridging the Skills Gap
The Foundation, named after the beloved character Mr. Green Jeans from Captain Kangaroo, aims to bridge the gap in practical skills among young people and promote agricultural education. “We started by focusing on providing agricultural infrastructure and curriculum to schools who wanted to develop Ag programs,” Palmer said. “The next step was developing a website and social media platforms that could house resources and connect the ag communities with each other and with the general public.”
Key Initiatives
One of the Foundation’s significant achievements includes the School Garden Project, which collaborates with existing providers to create a consistent curriculum for school gardens. “Multiple programs provide school gardens, but teachers had concerns about the lack of continuity and resources in the current programs,” Palmer explained. The Foundation reached out to existing providers and suggested collaborating on a statewide program with a consistent curriculum that would provide a seamless transition should a teacher retire or move.
Additionally, the Foundation supports various initiatives, such as the incubator farm project with UF|IFAS Sarasota County Extension. Dr. Rod Greder, Sustainable Agriculture Agent at UF|IFAS, oversees the program, which culminates in an 8-week training course on becoming a farmer. “Graduates of that program are given a half-acre plot to operate as a mini farm to gain the practical skills of producing a crop, getting it to market, and trying to produce a profit before investing in land, equipment, and infrastructure on their own,” Palmer said. The Foundation donated their irrigation system and continues to support the program with resources as needed.
Partnerships and Future Plans
The Foundation is also partnering with Dr. Nicole Rhody, program manager and senior scientist for aquaculture at Mote Marine Laboratory, and with the Florida Department of Agriculture and other agencies to develop a standardized K-12 aquaculture/aquaponics program. The Foundation applied for a state appropriation which passed the House, Senate, and has been included in the 2024 budget. With the Governor’s signature, the pilot program will start in mid-June.
The Foundation’s final 2024 initiative will be the launch of a world-class podcast this fall. They’ve partnered with expert hosts with decades of ag experience and have an exciting line-up of guests ready to go.
Community Support and Expansion
“We could not have been better received by the ag community,” Palmer stated. “I can’t say enough about all they’ve done to help us get off the ground. Ellen Cruz, the regional director for Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson, has gone over and beyond helping us work with the different agencies in FDACS. Dr. Chriss Decubellis and 4-H have been hugely supportive, as have our friends and partners at Florida Farm Bureau, Florida Ag in the Classroom, UF | IFAS, Mote Marine, and many state grower associations.”
Palmer also expressed gratitude for the support from Sen. Joe Gruters, Sen. Jonathan Martin, and Rep. James Buchanan, who were instrumental in supporting the Foundation in the Florida legislature. He credits Dr. Brian Boman for inspiring him to “take the leap” in forming the Foundation and long-time friend and ag consultant Chuck Todd for their ongoing support.
“But much of the credit,” Palmer says, “goes to my wife Tara. As it always is, the women in our lives who support our wild ideas, stand by us, and devote countless hours to getting us across the finish line are the real difference makers. I could not be more grateful for the love and support she provides each day.”
The Green Jean Foundation continues to grow, with plans to expand its reach beyond Florida to other states, including Georgia, Alabama, Ohio, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Kansas. “We are planting the seeds for future growth,” Palmer said.
For more information about The Green Jean Foundation and its initiatives, please visit http://www.floridaturf.com.
Contact: Turfgrass Producers of Florida 4620 Club Dr Unit 102 Port Charlotte, FL 33953 Tel: (863) 675-2144 Email: info@floridaturf.com
