Gene McAvoy Receives Award

11 Year Veteran Agent Serving Hendry Agriculture

LABELLE, FL. -- Gene McAvoy, County Extension Director and Regional Vegetable Agent with the UF/IFAS Hendry County Extension Office was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the National Association of County Agricultural Agents. This prestigious award recognizes an individual with least 10 years with outstanding service as a member of the Cooperative Extension Service.

This award is the highest honor that can be bestowed on a County Agent and only approximately one percent of County Agricultural Agents in the country ever achieve this recognition. The Distinguished Service Award was presented at the National Association of County Agricultural Agents Annual Meeting in Greensboro, North Carolina on July 17, 2008.
 
McAvoy has served with the University of Florida, IFAS Hendry County Extension Office for 11 years as Regional Vegetable/Horticulture Agent in Southwest Florida working with the commercial vegetable industry working with the commercial vegetable industry on over 70,000 acres to address the critical issues impacting growers� economic viability and sustainability in the global market place. 

He is recognized nationally in his field and serves on local and state committees serving Florida growers. Challenge on a daily basis, combined with the satisfaction of educating and empowering people to solve their horticultural and production related problems have been prime motivators for this Extension Agent.  Gene credits the loving support of his wife and three sons as a major factor in his success.