Tyler started farming on his own in 2005, beginning with watermelons but moved to growing peanuts in 2012 on 70 acres and plans to expand. He also maintains a small commercial herd (50) of cattle. He has been working in peanuts all his life. He began working full-time in 2007 with a local peanut and cotton farmer where they farm more than 1000 acres.
He enjoys experiencing the crop progression, from planting a seed in May to the harvest in September. He has always wanted to be a farmer, even though people encouraged him to pursue other options. Growing up surrounded by agriculture in Santa Rosa County has given him a lifelong appreciation for farming.
Tyler is dedicated to serving his community any way he can.
- FFA Alumni Association—working on fundraising and increasing opportunities for local FFA youth
- Jay Volunteer Fire Department Captain
- 2014-2016 Florida Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher Leadership Team
- EscaRosa Young Farmer and Rancher Leadership Team
- Farm Credit Nominating Committee
Tyler says farming keeps him busy, but giving back to the community that has helped him is important.
Farming has changed dramatically since he started. Technology, in terms of seed and equipment has become more complicated. He says that environmental concerns have greatly increased, and farmers are actively doing more with less. He says that tightening up pesticide and fertilization application rates have a positive impact for the environment and for the farmer’s bottom line. He is impressed by the accuracy of precision agriculture, and how the planting of peanuts has become more fine-tuned, and how swath control on sprayers saves money, time, and overspray. He readily has adopted Best Management Practices and has signed up through the FDACS BMP program.
He has implemented research-based practices, including nighttime spraying, utilizing recommended varieties, and the Peanut Rx program for disease control. Tyler says the “Most important thing you put in your field is your own shadow.” He scouts his own fields and makes decisions based on what he sees.
With the ever-changing issues facing agriculture, Tyler says that taking advantage of every educational opportunity available is crucial. He attends meetings and conferences, reads trade articles, visits with other producers, and goes online to see the most updated information.
Congratulations to Tyler Brown of Jay, FL as the Farm Credit/FPPA 2018 Young Peanut Farmer of the Year Award winner.