CLEARWATER, Fla. – U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. joined U.S. Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna, Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, and state agricultural leaders for a roundtable discussion in Clearwater on Tuesday.
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The talk, which focused on regenerative farming, was held at Life Farms.
Roundtable recap
What we know:
Members of the media were not allowed inside for the actual discussion. But, Kennedy told FOX 13 they talked about how to move away from glyphosate and other chemicals and towards a more sustainable kind of agriculture.
When FOX 13 asked how Tuesday’s discussion could translate into direct help for Tampa Bay area growers, Kennedy pointed to a $1 billion pilot program that’s funded by HHS, USDA, and EPA.
He said they’ve already received over 60,000 applications from farmers.
“Farmers, themselves, are really interested in this. They’re locked in a system where their soil is being degraded by pesticides. The microbiomes are being destroyed, which means the soil can’t absorb water, which means there’s runoff of the soil,” Kennedy said. “And now, agronomists estimate that we only have 30 to 50 harvests left.The soil is all gone.”
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The other side:
Kennedy’s comment about pesticides destroying the soil microbiome remains a major point of debate among agricultural scientists.
Local perspective:
Luna called on Congress to re-wire the budget — redirecting money away from big corporations and toward smaller local growers. She also encouraged Pinellas County residents to take a closer look at what’s in their food — and to research toxins, like arsenic, by using state and federal resources.
“As we venture into the holiday season, make sure that you guys go to those websites, check out and ensure that your kids are healthy,” she added.
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