Recently, Steven Hall joined the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation as its new executive director. The CRAFT Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) direct support organization of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Plant Industry. It was incorporated in June 2019 to act as mechanism to direct and manage a broad-scale field-trial program to determine the efficacy of various HLB treatments that had been individually tested and showed promise but needed to be further studied in commercial citrus groves.
Please share a little about your background.
HALL: I grew up on my family’s farm outside of Malone, Florida. I attended the University of Florida (Go Gators!), where I received a bachelor’s degree in food and resource economics with a minor in agricultural law. I continued my education at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, receiving a dual master’s degree in environmental management and juris doctorate from Cumberland School of Law.
After graduation, I joined the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Office of General Counsel where I served in various capacities. This includes as the department’s general counsel for over five years, for three commissioners of agriculture, and as the assistant deputy commissioner of agriculture for Commissioner Wilton Simpson.
I am a sixth-generation Florida farmer, and I continue to lead my family’s farming operation in Jackson County. I live in Tallahassee with my wife, Tiffany Hall, and our two children. I am a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho (AGR) fraternity and serve as the president of the AGR Education Foundation.
What are some of your key priorities in your new role?
HALL: My goals and priorities for CRAFT are to build on the foundation laid by the board of directors, my predecessors and our team to continue the mission of the program efficiently and effectively. Thanks to the leadership of Commissioner Simpson and Senate President-Designate Ben Albritton, the Florida Legislature has steadily grown the funding of the CRAFT program for the last five years, including nearly $17 million in state and federal funding for this fiscal year.
My goal is to continue working with our state and federal partners, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture Multi-Agency Coordination Group and the Citrus Research and Development Foundation, to be a part of the revitalization of Florida’s iconic agricultural commodity. I am thankful for the tireless work of my predecessor Tamara Wood and her dedication to CRAFT and the citrus industry. She has truly made the transition into my new role seamless.
To date, how many acres have participated in CRAFT?
HALL: The CRAFT Foundation has two primary programs. The original CRAFT program participants have over 16,000 acres of new plantings and resets. More than 71,000 acres have been treated as part of the Existing Tree Therapies (ETT) program. In its first five years, CRAFT has more than 300 participating entities that are conducting nearly 1,400 projects that have received, to date, over $30 million. We are starting to see exciting results from the first couple of program years and will be sharing some of these success stories over the coming months.
What have been the most popular types of projects growers are pursuing in the latest CRAFT cycles?
HALL: The ETT program has been popular as growers are taking advantage of the opportunity to treat their mature trees with novel therapies to mitigate the effects of HLB. Last year, the program enrolled over 63,000 acres, and we expect to add an additional 25,000 acres to this program year. Our website (craftfdn.org) includes a publicly accessible anonymized database that provides growers the opportunity to evaluate projects in their area to assist them with their future planting and treatment planning.
What is the status of the current cycle of applications?
HALL: This year, CRAFT has received approximately $17 million in state and federal funding for growers. We expect to fund approximately 1,750 acres of new and reset plantings and approximately 25,000 acres for the ETT program.
The application window for CRAFT Cyle Six and ETT Round Three opened on Aug. 1 and will close on Nov. 1. (Editor’s note: See announcement of extended deadline for Cycle Six.) Interested applicants should visit our website to review the program rules and submit an application
The application process is straight-forward, and the data submission procedures are designed to be grower-friendly. Our amazing staff (Tina Buice and Carisa Keller) are focused on assisting our participants with their project designs and data entry. I invite all growers to contact us if they have any questions.
For growers interested in submitting a proposal for CRAFT, what do they need to do?
HALL: My best advice is to visit the craftfdn.org website to review the rules and take a look at the online application. This will help interested applicants gather the necessary information to make submitting the application as easy as possible. We are available to answer any questions and assist applicants as needed.
What do growers need to do to improve their chances of getting their application approved?
HALL: The participation requirements have evolved over the years of the program. If a grower looked at the program and decided against applying in the past, I would encourage them to take another look at this year’s program rules. They may be surprised at how accessible the program is to growers of all sizes. In fact, the state funding comes with a requirement that at least 60% of the appropriated funds be made available for “small” growers (owning under 2,500 acres).
Do you anticipate continued funding for future CRAFT cycles?
HALL: Yes! Albritton and Simpson have indicated their dedicated and ongoing support for the program. Governor Ron DeSantis approved this year’s state budget, which included $15 million in CRAFT funding. I am thankful for their leadership and look forward to their continued support.
Matt Joyner and the staff at Florida Citrus Mutual have been tireless advocates for the citrus industry and the CRAFT program. My goal is to continue to prove the value of the program and ensure that citrus growers across the state know they can participate.
Is there anything else that you would like to add?
HALL: I am passionate about the future of Florida agriculture. My family has been farming in Florida for six generations, and I hope many more. I spent the first 19 years of my professional career at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services advocating for policies that support and advance Florida agriculture and our farmers. When I was recruited to this new role as the executive director of CRAFT, I saw this as an opportunity to work more directly with the growers of Florida’s iconic citrus industry. I believe that there is a future for the citrus industry in Florida, and I am excited to help ensure that potential is realized.
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