::on a {political} note::

My beautiful friend Lauren is an HR professional and sharp as a tack. This weekend she shared a little story worthy of mentioning here {in case it helps, doing my part to support a friend and a good cause}.

Polk County, along with much of Central Florida, is known for its vast orange groves. Local families have been growing and harvesting Florida oranges for generations. We're also home to large blueberry, strawberry and cattle farms to name a few. A large phosphate company in Florida is undergoing a review by the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) to determine the environmental impacts of phosphate mining. Phosphate mining is important as it related to the country's food supply. Phosphate generates fertilizer, which we rely on to maintain crops. After mining, there is a stringent reclamation process-- land is brought back to grade, forestry is planted and wetlands are re-established. The alternative is outsourcing our phosphate needs to the Middle East-- causing foreign importing dependence. Not to mention, the financial foundation that phosphate mean to so many people in Central Florida: families {some of my friends}, contractors, vendors, businesses and the local economy.

If you'd like to leave a comment on the importance of continued phosphate mining in Central Florida, please visit HERE. Your comments will help the ACE determine the future of phosphate.