Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Names Sarah K. Childs as 2011 Woman of the Year in Agriculture
~ Department Recognizes Childs' Contributions to Florida Agriculture ~
For Information, Contact:
Sterling Ivey
Communications Office
(850) 617-7737
Sterling.Ivey@freshfromflorida.com
February 13, 2012
Tallahassee, FL – At the Woman of the Year in Agriculture Luncheon held today at the Florida State Fairgrounds, Commissioner Adam Putnam recognized Sarah K. Childs of Lake Placid as the 2011 Woman of the Year in Agriculture. The award, now in its 27th year, recognizes women who have made outstanding contributions to Florida agriculture.
“Sarah has been a long-time ambassador for Florida’s agriculture, livestock and ranching industries,” said Commissioner Putnam. “Her dedication, commitment and service to her community and the state of Florida are unmatched. It is an honor to present her with this year’s Woman of the Year in Agriculture award.”
Childs is an integral part of Lykes Bros. Cattle Ranch and Citrus Division, where she works to ensure the company is in compliance with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rules. She has been an enthusiastic participant in Florida’s agriculture industry, dedicating her time and talents for more than 40 years to the Florida beef industry and its auxiliary organizations.
As a member of the Florida Cattlemen’s and the Florida CattleWomen’s Associations, Childs rose to leadership positions and was the only woman to serve two non-consecutive terms as President of the Florida CattleWomen’s Association.
Through her efforts to enlighten legislators, consumers or students about agriculture’s positive impact on Florida’s economy, Childs has also become known as a beloved ambassador of the agricultural and livestock industries. Her active participation in livestock-related affiliates at the county, state and national levels has earned her the admiration of her colleagues and her community.
Childs also served more than 20 years on the advisory committee for the South Florida Beef-Forage Program. Other programs she’s involved in include Farm City Week, the Know Your Beef short course, the Florida Cattleman’s Association Foundation (FCAF), the FCAF Ranch Rodeo, Feed the Hungry program and Animal Rights Coalition. Just last month, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack appointed Sarah to serve on the National Beef Board.
Childs received the award before a crowd of 200 agriculture leaders at the Florida State Fairgrounds. The Woman of the Year in Agriculture Award is sponsored by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Florida State Fair Authority.
For more information about the Woman of the Year in Agriculture Award or to view a list of past recipients, visit http://www.florida-agriculture.com/agwoman/index.htm.
For more information about the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit www.FreshFromFlorida.com.
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