Ep. 7 - "Climbing the Ladder" for both citrus harvest and politics with Senate Majority Leader Ben Albritton

Senator Ben Albritton is doing a lot of legislative work on Florida policy, genuinely caring about our state and it's people. A 4th generation farmer himself, he understands what needs to be done in particular with restoration strategies, water policy, and more. 2024 is about to be a big year - what do all these political terms and action items mean for the future of Florida agriculture? Bio: Ben Albritton is a 4th generation farmer, born and raised in Florida's Heartland. Brought up by a family of farmers, ranchers, citrus growers and businessmen, Ben has invested his life in the rich agricultural heritage of Central Florida. After graduating from Hardee High School in 1986, Ben earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Citrus/Business in 1990 from Florida Southern College. Ben went on to work for his family's citrus groves and for over 30 years he has focused on the growth of Florida's agricultural community. Today, Albritton Companies has expanded to support citrus grove ownership, grove management, payroll management and risk consulting. In 1993, Ben married Missy Schrader of Wauchula and settled down in rural Hardee County to start and raise a family. Together, they have three beautiful children, Rebecca, Joshua and Ryan, and a brand new grandbaby. Ben is a faithful Christian, along with his wife Missy and their family, who invest their daily lives in the Scripture. The Albritton family are lifetime members of First Christian Church of Wauchula, where Ben has served as an Elder since 2003. Ben's life has been rooted in service to others. It is a daily practice for him, especially within Florida's agriculture community. After being elected Florida House in 2010, Ben served as Chairman of the Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee, Vice Chairman of the Natural Resources & Public Lands Subcommittee, Agriculture & Property Rights Subcommittee, Appropriations Committee and the Government Accountability Committee. He also chaired the Polk, Hardee and DeSoto County Legislative Delegations. Ben was elected to the Florida Senate in 2018. In 2022, he was appointed by Senate President Kathleen Passidomo to serve as Majority Leader. Ben is currently the Senate President-Designate and will step into his new role after this legislative session.