Four Inducted into Ag Hall of Fame

The Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Foundation inducted four during the Florida State Fair in Tampa on Tuesday.

The 2012 Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame inductees were chosen not only because of their commitment to improving their own craft through technology and innovation, but also because of their willingness to share these advancements with the industry as a whole, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam stated in a release.

This years inductees are:

Laurence P. Cutts -- Chipley: A third-generation beekeeper, Cutts was instrumental in advocating for research to reduce beehive losses in Florida. He also invented a trap for small hive beetles, a threat to hives and beekeepers. Cutts previously served as chief of the Apiary Inspection Bureau at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. He also represented the beekeeping industry before the Legislature as a member of the Florida State Beekeepers Association legislative committee.

Robert Fuchs -- Homestead: Fuchs is the premier orchid grower of South Florida. His efforts have placed Floridas orchid industry in the international spotlight and have brought recognition to Miami-Dade County for its unique agricultural attractions.

Gerald Mixon -- Winter Haven: Mixons determination for growing blueberries helped him transform a small 7-acre patch of blueberries into a vertically-integrated, international conglomerate. He is credited with helping to increase Floridas blueberry sales from approximately $2 million to more than $70 million from 1990 to 2009.

Sidney L. Sumner -- Bartow: Sumner has worked with cattle producers to adopt new technologies and practices to improve Floridas beef production. His encouragement of innovative and time-tested methods has optimized production and profitability on Florida ranches.