Ernie Barnett Receives Top Florida Ag-Environmental Award
For more than three decades, Ernie Barnett has helped shape some of Florida’s biggest land and water conservation efforts. Now, he’s being recognized for that work with one of the state’s top agricultural and environmental honors.
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson has announced Barnett as the 2026 recipient of the Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award. The award, presented annually since 1994, recognizes growers, ranchers, and leaders committed to protecting Florida’s natural resources while supporting agriculture.
Simpson says, “Ernie Barnett has spent more than 35 years in the trenches working on Florida’s toughest land and water issues, and his impact speaks for itself.”
Barnett currently serves as Executive Director of the Florida Land Council and has contributed to major environmental laws tied to Everglades restoration and water resource management. He also previously led the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Ecosystem Management program, which earned national recognition.
Barnett will be honored this October during the Fresh From Florida Breakfast at the Florida Farm Bureau annual meeting.
