In an upcoming showcase of tradition blended with modern-day advertisement, a St. Johns County family's farming legacy will feature prominently in a Super Bowl commercial this Sunday. A 60-second spot titled "The Little Farmer" is set to air in the third quarter of the game and will center around DeLee Parker, a fifth-generation potato farmer, and her family's contribution to the agriculture industry. According to St. Johns County's official news release, the commercial by Frito-Lay for its Lay's Potato Chips brand celebrates real farmers behind the popular snack with the tagline, "Lay’s are made from real potatoes, and our potatoes come from real farmers."
The spotlight on the Parker family comes at a time when St. Johns County is looking to more closely connect with its agricultural roots. Krista Joseph, the Chair of the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners, is aiming to establish a new Agriculture Advisory Board. She recently visited with local farmers, including the Parkers, to discuss this venture. "For generations, our local farmers have grown agriculture in St. Johns County, and on Sunday, this heart-warming commercial will grow the world's attention to the responsible farming happening in our community," Joseph said on the St. Johns County website. This new board proposes to significantly work towards strengthening ties between the county’s policy-making process and those who most stand to gain—or lose—from its decisions.
Last year's Super Bowl garnered more than 123 million viewers according to the National Football League, presenting a significant platform for the Parkers and their narrative. The commercial concludes with endearing imagery of young DeLee holding two potatoes from Parker Produce, segueing into a photo collage that includes multiple generations of the Parker family, along with other local farming families—Wesley Smith of Smith Farms, and Steve Singleton with his wife April and their sons. "Our family is happy and honored to be chosen by Frito-Lay to be in this commercial," imparted Jeffrey Parker in a statement on the St. Johns County website. His family has been providing quality potatoes to Frito-Lay since 1964 and farming in the county since 1937.
Further underscoring the Parker family's long-standing commitment to agriculture and environmental stewardship, the Florida Farm Bureau featured Parker Produce in their County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship (CARES) program. The program highlights farmers and ranchers who voluntarily take action to preserve and protect the state's natural resources, a badge of honor for the farming community. "These farmers supply food to Florida and the entire country from here in St. Johns County, Florida!" lauded Joseph on the St. Johns County website, acknowledging the broader impact of local farming initiatives.
