“Who Owns the Land in the EAA? Mapping Out Florida’s Water Future.”
Today we learn about King Ranch, #4 on the TCRPC map of land ownership in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA).
King Ranch is full of history and mystique and part of Texas’ long US history with Mexico. They are “Americana” even on the road. Perhaps you have gotten behind a truck with their brand symbol? Maybe you own one of those trucks? King Ranch is a huge company and has many different interests.
One of King Ranch’s major interests in Florida is Consolidated Citrus and they have an office in Indiantown in Martin County.
Not everything has been a royal flush for King Ranch. Over the decades the company has had to change out their fields because of the loss of orange groves due to canker and citrus greening. In Martin County alone basically 98% of the groves are fallow. A terrible loss. But to remain King, one must adapt, and they have according to Stuart Magazine “growing sod, corn and sugar, as well as testing out perennial peanuts and organic rice.”
So as the orange groves die, some are replaced with sugarcane.
You may recall articles about Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature a couple of years back going to visit King Ranch in Texas with the support of U.S. Sugar Corporation money? Yes, “these guys are buds.” They do business together and they play chess together. There are kings, queens, knights, rooks, and pawns.
So according to the map, King Ranch owns 19,755 acres in the Everglades Agricultural Area.” I have colored this in dark blue. They may not be the largest land owner, but considering their influence they certainly are King.
*Mr. Mitch Hutchcraft of King Ranch serves on the South Florida Water Management District. He was appointed by the Governor.
King Ranch web site: http://king-ranch.com
King Ranch: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Ranch
Stuart Magazine article: https://www.stuartmagazine.com/features/farmers-martin-and-st-lucie-counties-work-grow-their-fair-share-despite-seasons
Citrus: http://king-ranch.com/operations/citrus/
Sugar: http://www.scgc.org
Consolidated Citrus: https://www.youtube.com/user/ConsolidatedCitrus
Texas Observer, King Ranch and Florida Politicians: https://www.texasobserver.org/king-ranch-heart-texas-sized-scandal/
Reblogged this on cyndi lenz and commented:
please read this important blog on king’s ranch
Hi Jacqui – great articles. As you know, the C-44 Canal Basin includes several thousand acres of King’s Ranch, and the basin is one of the worst in terms of water quality to the St. Lucie River and Estuary – in fact it is worsening. The water management district acknowledges that they do not enforce the environmental permits that put a limit on phosphorus discharged from ag lands in the C-44 Basin. Convenient that Hutchcraft is a VP of King’s Ranch and board member… not saying that there is a connection – just convenient.
By the way, I will be out of town for your Rivers Coalition presentation – sorry I’ll miss it!
All the best,
Gary