Rudy Hamrick Inducted Into Agriculture Hall Of FameRudy Hamrick was inducted into the Florida Agriculture Hall of Fame on Tuesday evening, Feb. 9.Rudy Hamrick was a major force in North Florida agriculture for nearly three decades. As director of the Madison County Extension office from 1951 to 1977, his impact on the county's economy was dramatic. When Hamrick had first gone to Madison, the tobacco industry was declining all across Northwest Florida. Farm incomes were shrinking, along with the population in rural areas. But Hamrick was determined to try to reverse these trends. Under his leadership, Madison County became one of Florida's leading agricultural counties, a top producer of swine, poultry, and cattle. Hamrick was instrumental in developing the county's thriving peach industry, and by the mid-1970s there were over 2,000 acres in production. [click for more]
