Everglades Restoration
In addition to challenges with water quality, the Lake Okeechobee and Everglades system is facing a shortage of water storage options when South Florida experiences heavy rainfall. To that end, Florida’s sugarcane farmers support science-based solutions in every part of the system that will actually address the problem.
South Florida’s sugarcane, vegetable, fruit and rice farmers in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) achieved a 63 percent annual phosphorus reduction – more than double the 25 percent reduction required under Florida’s Everglades Forever Act. Since 1996, farmers in the food production area have averaged a 57 percent reduction in the water flowing off their farms.
Timeline of Sugarcane Farmers’ Partnership in Everglades Restoration
Florida’s Sugarcane Farmers have been at the table and actively participated in every major restoration effort South Florida restoration effort involving Lake Okeechobee or the Everglades. Here is an overview of the major policy initiatives that involved sugarcane farmers’ support.
WATER STORAGE OPTIONS
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Combined, Florida’s sugarcane farmers have invested more than $450 million back into our environment
This $450 million has been invested into research, restoration, and on-farm water and soil cleaning efforts – more than any private entity has spent to date for this effort
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Completing storage projects such as the EAA reservoir, C-43 and C-44 expansions
These storage options will provide additional flexibility for moving water from Lake Okeechobee without damaging the coastal estuaries.
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This land was invested for the purpose of Everglades restoration, including the land now being used to develop the EAA reservoir. This is the most land any private entity has given up for restoration.
Over the last 20 years, EAA farmers have given up more than 120,000 acres of formerly-productive farmland to the state
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We also support efforts to complete the rehabilitation of the Herbert Hoover Dike
The dike has increased the number of damaging discharges to the estuaries and limited the amount of water the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is able to keep in Lake Okeechobee. A fortified dike will help reduce the need for the Army Corps to discharge water during wet times.