Florida Cattlemen's Association president beefs up agricultural education in Manatee County

Cliff Coddington earns Manatee County's Agriculturist of the Year award.


Cliff Coddington manages the 10,000-acre Longino Ranch, which is a conservation easement.
Cliff Coddington manages the 10,000-acre Longino Ranch, which is a conservation easement.
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As a rancher and president of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association, Myakka City's Cliff Coddington knows agricultural land in Florida is disappearing as approximately 900 people a day move to the state.

The most recent U.S. Census in 2020 showed Florida's population grew by 2.7 million from 2011 to 2020. All those people need somewhere to live.

It's a huge challenge but Coddington said he won't suggest any type of action that would take away landowner's property rights as urban sprawl moves toward rural areas.

"Our family owned land on Rye Road," Coddington said. "I grew up there, walking down a dirt road. If anyone passed, they would stop because they knew you.

"We had 70 acres left of that land, and we sold in 2017. I was tired of dealing with traffic."

A sixth generation Manatee County resident, Coddington was named the 2021 Manatee County Agriculturalist of the Year, an award he accepted from the Kiwanis Club of Bradenton Nov. 16.

He now lives on his 270-acre cattle ranch, just east of Myakka City on Curtis Road. He also is the general manager of the 10,000-acre Longino Ranch.

Coddington said growth is inevitable and development boundaries will change as the influx of new residents continues to stream into Florida.

"Why would we fight something I did," he said of selling his Rye Road agricultural land for development. "Any place you see a house in Manatee County used to be agricultural land. Manatee County used to be the tomato capital of the world. Now there is very little grown. I never thought I would see a subdivision on Rye Road, but the property value went up, which was good (for the land owners)."

Coddington, who is 62, said he could see development spreading to Verna Bethany Road, and even beyond, but not in his lifetime.

"Everyone wants to move to the woods," he said. "They just don't want anyone else to come."

Instead of fighting urban growth, Coddington said it is more important to educate the new residents, and the politicians about farming and ranching. 

"Do I like riding a horse, and gathering cows," Coddington says. " I do."

The Longino Ranch is a conservation easement, meaning the land can never be developed and has to remain agricultural land. He would like to see the state or federal government buy more conservation easements, which means the landowner retains ownership of the property with a restriction on the use of the property. The government receives assurance that valuable land will be protected from future development.

Manatee County voters gave the county the right to spend money on environmentally significant lands. Coddington, whose one-year term as president of the Florida Cattlemen's Association runs through June 2022, said the county's program is an important one, but there is no assurance that any land purchased will be retained as agricultural land.

In winning the Manatee County Agriculturalist of the Year Award, Coddington said he likely received the honor because he "is getting old." But one of the reasons has been his efforts to educate people about agricultural land and the importance of protecting it.

He said ranch and farming produces healthy food, cleans the air and cleans the water.

"What's more sustainable than 500 years (of ranching) in Florida? That's a long time," he said. "So we will continue to educate our legislators. A lot of them are not from Florida. It's a big job. 

He personally takes legislators on tours of ranches.

Cliff Coddington has worked on the Longino Ranch since 2005.
Cliff Coddington has worked on the Longino Ranch since 2005.

His love of ranching began when his great-grandfather (Clifford Williams), gave him 13 heifers for a birthday present.

"It's a life's passion," he said. "It's about just getting up every morning, and doing what you have to do."

He came up through the 4H program and his agriculture teacher, Travis Seawright at Southeast High School, was a big factor in getting him to pursue ranching as a career and in being involved with so many organizations.

It also prompted him to be involved in teaching 4H and FFA members the importance of ranching and farming.

"I don't push them because it is difficult work," he said. "You're in the heat all the time. But if you get them working out here, they will never leave."

His own son, Dalton, 23, works full-time on the Logino Ranch while his daughter, Samantha, 30, works part-time doing books on the Longino Ranch. His wife, Tara, helps out with the books on the Longino Ranch.

"Do I like riding a horse, and gathering cows," Coddington said. " I do."

So if he predicts agricultural land will continue to disappear, what do the ranchers and farmers have to do?

He said it will be about greater production on fewer acres. 

"I look at new things, new genetics, quality of grasses, how body condition affects breeding, things that make a higher quality product," he said. 

And what does he think of his award?

"It is very humbling (to win)," he said. "But I don't do this for awards. It's just the right thing to do."

Cliff Coddington continues to look into advances that will make his ranches more productive.
Cliff Coddington continues to look into advances that will make his ranches more productive.

 

 

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