Calhoun/Gulf Co. Farm Bureau President Cecil Bodiford
Calhoun/Gulf County Farm Bureau (CGCFB) president, Cecil Bodiford, was born and raised in agriculture. He and his wife, Judy, live on the north central border of Calhoun County in the small town of Altha.
“My granddaddy farmed before me and my parents and so on,” he stated. “We grew corn, cotton, peanuts, soy beans and wheat.”
After retiring from the farm in 2001, Bodiford continues to lease his land and assists when needed. Bodiford served as a director on the Florida Farm Bureau State Board for 26 years and has witnessed many changes and growth in Florida’s agriculture industry.
Currently employed in agribusiness, Bodiford serves as Regional Manager of Sales for the southeast for the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation and travels frequently.
CGCFB has 1,150 members and growing. One event in particular that gathers the Farm bureau community together is the Annual Membership Appreciation Banquet held each September at the W.T. Neal Civic Center in Blountstown.
“This is the time we take to gather door prizes, cook a fabulous meal and show our members how we appreciate them and their dedication to farming, agriculture and CGCFB,” Bodiford stated. The event draws approximately 250 people annually.
Other events throughout the year in which CGCFB promotes agriculture include Florida Ag Literacy Day. “Our favorite agriculture promotion is when we get to visit local schools on Ag Literacy Day,” he stated. “We involve local FFA students and create a craft to go along with our story about farming, fresh fruit and vegetables.”
Favorite Recipe: “Pea Picking Cake”
For the Cake:
1 box butter cake mix
4 eggs
1 (11oz) can mandarin oranges (in light syrup)
½ cup canola or vegetable oil
For the Frosting:
1 large box vanilla instant pudding (fat free/sugar free)
1 large box white chocolate instant pudding (fat free /sugar free)
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple with juice
2 (8 oz) containers of cool whip (sugar free)
walnuts or pecan for topping
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two cake pans; set aside. Combine cake mix, eggs, oranges with syrup, and oil in the bowl of a heavy duty mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy and oranges have been pureed smooth into the batter. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes. Place cakes on rack to cool for five minutes then invert cakes onto the wire rack to completely cool. Keep in refrigerator after frosting.
Ag Facts:
271 Farms
47,592 Acres in Farm Land
2,424 Jobs Created in Agriculture
$132 Million in Revenue
