Huizenga Professor Promotes Locally-Sourced Produce

When Albert Williams, Ph.D., looks out the windows of his South Florida home, he sees more than just coconut trees – he sees money. And in the June 2019 issue of Fort Lauderdale Magazine, he’s sharing his perspective on Florida agriculture and supporting local farmers in a feature titled, “Farm Fresh Florida”.

“Agriculture in Florida is big business, over $160billion per year and second only to the tourism industry,” says Williams, who serves as associate professor and acting chair of the Finance and Economics Department at the H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship. The professor received an education in agricultural and applied economics at the University of Georgia. Prior to joining Nova Southeastern University, he held the position of CEO at an agricultural marketing firm in Belize and worked as a commodity analyst at Restaurant Services Incorporated (the purchasing arm of the Burger King Corporation).

“Can people in Florida eat foods directly from the farm, implying little or no processing?” he asks. “The answer is yes.” Williams also believes that the option to eat more organically grown products is becoming more common, as the number of South Florida farms becoming “certified organic” continues to grow.

Additionally, Williams offers tips to South Florida residents looking to purchase farm-fresh produce. “Go to the farmer’s markets! Even though there are many middle men and women, many are selling produce that are from local farms. Purchasing local produce supports the farmers of South Florida, and Florida, in general.” Plus, Florida farmers have a lot to offer in terms of produce variety, including tropical favorites like mangoes, mamey sapote, bitter melons, and callaloo.

For an agricultural scenic drive, Williams suggests taking US-27 from South Florida to Tampa. The route offers miles and miles of sugar cane and citrus orchards, and helps put into perspective the billions of agricultural dollars at play. “We need to educate people about the importance of South Florida’s agriculture and we need young entrepreneurs to consider getting into the business.”