I. BEST PAPER AWARDS (Proc. Florida State Horticultural Society Volume 119)
Awarded for the best and most meritorious paper as printed in the previous year’s Proceedings from its respective section.

Citrus Section:  Michael S. Irey, Tim Gast and Tim R. Gottwald.  For their paper, “Comparison of visual assessment and polymerase chain reaction assay testing to estimate the incidence of the Huanglongbing pathogen in commercial Florida citrus.”  Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 119:89-93.  (Medal, printed certificate and an honorarium of $200)

Handling and Processing Section:  Ed Etxeberria, William M. Miller and Diann Achor.  For their paper, “Characteristics of laser ethching depressions on Florida fruits and vegetables.”  Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 119:353-357.  (Medal, printed certificate and an honorarium of $200)

Krome Memorial Section:  Jorge E. Pena, Walter P. Gould, Michael K. Hennessey, Guy J. Hallman and Jonathan H. Crane.  For their paper, “Laboratory and field infestation studies on immature green ‘Tommy Atkins’ and ‘Keitt’ mangoes to determine host status to the Caribbean fruit fly (Diptera:Tephritidae).”  Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 119:16-20.  (Medal, printed certificate and an honorarium of $200)

Ornamental, Garden & Landscape Section:  Forrest W. Howard, Robert W. Pemberton, Greg S. Hodges, Bryan Steinberg, David McLean and Hong Liu.  For their paper, “Host plant range of lobate lac scale, Paratachardina lobata, in Florida.”  Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 119:398-408. (Medal, printed certificate and an honorarium of $200)

Vegetable Section:  Eric Simonne, Michael Dukes, George Hochmuth, Bob Hochmuth, David Studstill and Aparna Gazula.  For their paper, “Monitoring nitrate concentration in shallow wells below a vegetable field.”  Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 119:226-230.  (Medal, printed certificate and an honorarium of $200)
 

II. CROSS-SECTIONAL BEST PAPER AWARDS

President’s Industry Award.
Awarded for the single best paper given at the 2006 Florida State Horticultural Society Annual Meeting by an industry author. (Plaque)

Esa Ontermaa. For his paper, “Converting soil phosphorus readings based on Mechlich 3 extraction methods into Mechlich 1 in two Florida flatwoods citrus groves.”  Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 119:159-163.

III. MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD

Presidential Gold Medal Award, Vegetable Section.
Awarded to the person having contributed most to Florida horticulture through work published in the Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society over the preceding six-year period in the Krome Memorial Section. (Medal, printed certificate and an honorarium of $500)

Dr. Eric H. Simonne, UF/IFAS, Horticultural Sciences Department

IV. HONORARY MEMBERSHIP

Theodore W. (Ted) Winsberg

 Ted Winsberg is originally from the Chicago area where he began his business career working in his uncle’s department store. He earned his Soil Science degrees from Cornell University, a B.S. in 1952 and an M.S. in 1953. Ted moved to Florida in 1957 and purchased the property near Boynton Beach, which became Green Cay Farms.  Ted was primarily a pepper grower for over 40 years and is a long time Patron Member of FSHS.  Ted received the Outstanding Vegetable Grower Award from the Society in 1998.  Since retiring a few years ago, Ted has supported the development of a diversified and sustainable community supported agriculture (CSA) business at Green Cay Farms.

 In 2004, Ted provided 170 acres of Green Cay Farms to Palm Beach County to be used to establish Green Cay Wetlands, a suburban green space with a 9,000 square foot interpretive nature center and 1.5-mile elevated boardwalk, but which is primarily used to filter several million gallons of highly treated water each day from Palm Beach County's Southern Region Water Reclamation Facility.  The wetlands also help to recharge groundwater resources and keep water in the earth's water cycle. To accomplish this, Green Cay Wetlands incorporates 86 different species of trees, shrubs, grasses and aquatic vegetation.

 Ted Winsberg has been much more than a grower. He has participated in and supported research and sponsored and funded graduate students from the University of Florida to conduct their thesis and dissertation research at his farm.  He has also been a staunch supporter of the Florida Extension Program, allowing Specialists and County Agents to conduct numerous trials on his farm over the years.  Ted has been a leader among the south Florida vegetable growers.  Among growers in southeast Florida it became a standard saying when a new technology came out: “Let Ted try it first to see how it works.”

V. STUDENT BEST PAPER AWARDS (papers presented at the 120th Annual Meeting)
Awarded for manuscripts plus presentations at the annual meeting that are judged to be the best student papers based on organization, clarity of introduction and literature review, effective use of figures and tables, report of conclusions, completeness, timing, response to questions, and importance to Florida horticulture.