JM Diamond Farms, Santa Rosa County
Joseph “Mickey” & Lisa Diamond own and operate JM Diamond Farms in Jay, Florida. Diamond’s farm primarily grows peanuts and cotton. The farm was passed down from Diamond’s grandfather and father. Over the years he has transitioned the farm from a conventional operation into a conservation operation that uses innovative technologies. Diamond feels strongly that farmers are the best stewards of our land, water and even air and it is our duty to protect them and leave them better than we found them. Currently, Diamond implements 7 different Best Management Practices (BMPs). He uses cover crops and strip- till to improve soil health and reduce water use. GPS soil sampling, peanut tissue sampling and variable- rate fertilizer application increase the efficiency of fertilizer use throughout the entire farm. Grass water ways filter out excess nutrients that try to leave the farm. And GPS- guided variable rate and section control overall increase efficiency and decrease use. His BMP Program is the result of 15 years of effective BMP implementation efforts. As he watches his crops grow daily across the vast 1,500 acres his family farms and lives on, Mr. Diamond is proud to represent his family as not only a 2017 CARES recipient but also as a Florida farmer.
