Field to fork

Farmers have a lot more to worry about besides the weather and commodity prices. Add big government and personal injury lawyers to the list of perils.

That's why two executives at Lykes Insurance have formed a specialized group within the insurance company to focus on food safety. Founded in 1925, the insurance company is a subsidiary of Lykes Brothers, the Tampa-based privately held firm that owns thousands of acres for cattle, citrus and other agriculture operations throughout the state.

While Lykes Insurance has traditionally brokered agriculture-related insurance, Bill Taulbee and Christopher Tritt formed Taulbee Tritt & Associates at Lykes Insurance to specialize in this area. “It's not just about agriculture,” says Taulbee. “It's about the food industry.”