Carl Allison, Allison Farms, Columbia
Carl Allison III and his family own and operate Allison Farms in Lake City, Florida. The farm has been in the family for a century and was started by Charles Howell when he purchased the land in 1914. They proudly produce cattle, hay, and sugar cane. Mr. Allison has been implementing Best Management Practices (BMPs) on the farm for 3 years. BMPs are a set of guidelines that advise producers on how to manage the water, nutrient, and pesticides they are using to reduce agriculture’s impact on the state’s natural resources. Allison Farms uses a properly calibrated GPS fertilizer applicator that disperses the precise amount of fertilizer to help reduce runoff. Mr. Allison has taken proactive steps to upgrade his pivot irrigation system. With the upgrades to the pivot irrigation system Mr. Allison is able to regulate water flow while preventing excessive irrigation and leaching. He also fenced off the natural wetlands on his property to keep the cattle from disturbing the habitat and impacting water quality.
Mr. Allison is actively involved in his local community, serving on the National Advisory Board for the College of Pharmacy at the University of Florida and for a pharmaceutical company called McKesson. He is also a member of the Columbia County Farm Bureau and he and his family are significant donors to many nonprofit and charitable organizations. When asked why he is a farmer who CARES, Allison responded, “So the resources will be available for us to farm in the future and our children can enjoy the same natural resources and beauty we enjoy today.”
