Privacy Policy

/Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy 2025-11-25T13:10:36-05:00
Last Updated October 2025

This Privacy Policy of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association (“Association”) describes how personal data is collected, used, and protected for all users of the Association’s website, including members, Allied Partners, event registrants, scholarship applicants, educators, sponsors, and the general public. The policy applies to all interactions with the Association’s website and digital platforms, and outlines user rights and the Association’s responsibilities regarding personal information.

Definitions

Personal Data:
Personal Data refers to any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person, including but not limited to names, email addresses, phone numbers, mailing addresses, company names, payment information, birthdates, educational details, and any other data collected through the Association’s website forms, event registrations, scholarship applications, or other interactions.

Sensitive Data:
Sensitive Data refers to categories of personal information that are subject to heightened protection under applicable law, such as health data, racial or ethnic origin, or other special categories. The Association does not collect Sensitive Data as defined by applicable regulations.

Privacy Policy

1. Collection of Personal Data

The Association is committed to the responsible collection and management of personal data provided by users, members, Allied Partners, event registrants, scholarship applicants, educators, sponsors, and the general public. Personal data is collected through various channels, including online forms embedded in the website, Google Forms, email inquiries, telephone calls, and in-person events or meetings.

The types of personal data collected include, but are not limited to:

  • First and last name
  • Email address
  • Phone number and cell number
  • Mailing address
  • Company name
  • Payment information (processed via Square and the Payable app)
  • Information regarding membership or partnership intent
  • Event registration details
  • Scholarship application data (student’s name, birthdate, parent/guardian name, mailing address, phone number, email address, grade level, school name, expected graduation date, GPA, college or technical school of intent, high school attended, high school graduation date, resume, letters of recommendation, transcript, recent photo)
  • Education packet requests (name, phone, email, school name, school address, number of packets needed, comments)
  • Requests for mascot visits (name, phone, email, school name, grade level, number of students, requested date, school address, comments)
  • General inquiries via the “Contact Us” form (name, email, message)

No Sensitive Data, as defined by applicable law, is collected by the Association.

2. Purposes of Processing

Personal data is processed for the following purposes:

  • Responding to inquiries and requests
  • Managing grower memberships and Allied Partnerships
  • Processing payments for dues, sponsorships, and event registrations
  • Promoting and advertising events
  • Distributing industry news and grower newsletters
  • Collecting and evaluating scholarship applications
  • Facilitating educational outreach and resource distribution
  • Managing event registrations and communications
  • Conducting marketing campaign research and website analytics

3. Legal Bases for Processing

The Association processes personal data under the following legal bases, as applicable:

  • Consent: Users provide explicit consent when submitting personal data via online forms, event registrations, or scholarship applications.
  • Contractual Necessity: Data is processed as necessary to fulfill membership, partnership, event participation, or scholarship application agreements.
  • Legitimate Interests: The Association may process data to further its mission of promoting the Florida strawberry industry, supporting members and partners, and improving website functionality.
  • Compliance with Legal Obligations: Data may be processed to comply with applicable laws and regulations, including data protection statutes.

4. Data Retention and Deletion

The Association retains personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, unless a longer period is required by law, recordkeeping obligations, or legitimate business needs. Data is stored securely in cloud-based systems with access limited to authorized personnel.

Once the applicable retention period has expired, data is deleted or anonymized in a secure manner. Users may request deletion or correction of their personal data by contacting the Association using the designated contact information provided in this Privacy Policy.

5. Sharing of Personal Data

The Association does not share personal data with third parties except as necessary for payment processing. All payment transactions are handled through Square and the Payable app, which is linked to the Association’s Square account and embedded in Google Forms. No other third-party sharing, marketing, or analytics partners receive personal data collected by the Association.

6. International Data Transfers

The Association’s Allied Partnership program includes members located in Canada (Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario). Personal data of Canadian users is processed in accordance with applicable international data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) where relevant. The Association is committed to ensuring adequate safeguards for international data transfers and compliance with cross-border data protection requirements.

7. User Rights Under Applicable Laws

The Florida Strawberry Growers Association is committed to upholding the rights of users regarding their personal data, in accordance with applicable data protection laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Users are empowered to exercise control over their personal information collected, processed, and stored by the Association.

7.1. Access, Correction, and Deletion of Personal Data

Users have the right to:

  • Access: Request a copy of the personal data held by the Association.
  • Correction: Request the rectification of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
  • Deletion: Request the erasure of personal data (“right to be forgotten”), subject to legal and operational requirements.

Requests for access, correction, or deletion may be submitted by emailing privacy@flastrawberry.com, mailing a written request to P.O. Drawer 2550, Plant City, FL 33564, United States, or calling (813) 752-6822. The Association will respond to such requests in a timely and transparent manner, handling each case individually in accordance with current practices.

7.2. Restriction and Objection to Processing

Users may request the restriction of processing of their personal data or object to certain types of processing, such as direct marketing or analytics. The Association will honor such requests to the extent required by law and operational feasibility.

7.3. Withdrawal of Consent and Opt-Out

Where processing is based on user consent, users may withdraw their consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing. Users may also opt out of communications or newsletters by contacting the Association or using the opt-out mechanisms provided on the website. For information on opting out of cookies or managing cookie preferences, please refer to the Association’s separate Cookie Policy.

7.4. Data Portability

Where applicable, users may request a copy of their personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, enabling transfer to another service provider.

7.5 Procedures for Submitting Requests

To exercise any of the above rights, users should submit a request specifying the nature of the inquiry and the data involved. The Association may require verification of identity to protect user privacy and prevent unauthorized access. All requests should be directed to:

  • Email: privacy@flastrawberry.com
  • Mailing Address: P.O. Drawer 2550, Plant City, FL 33564, United States
  • Phone: (813) 752-6822

7.6. Response and Resolution

The Association is dedicated to responding to all data rights requests promptly and in accordance with applicable law. While there is currently no formal data retention or deletion policy, the Association manages requests on a case-by-case basis and is actively working to develop comprehensive procedures in consultation with its website provider.

By utilizing the Association’s website and services, users acknowledge their rights and the procedures available for managing personal data, ensuring transparency and user control over information entrusted to the Association.

8. Data Security

The Association is committed to implementing appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect personal data against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. The specific security measures in place are currently under review with the Association’s website provider, and further details will be provided upon completion of this review. Users are encouraged to contact the Association for the most current information regarding data security practices. The Association’s website is currently hosted on the Pantheon platform, which provides managed security updates, encryption of all connections, and monthly plugin maintenance to ensure integrity and reliability.

9. Children’s Data

There are no age restrictions for using the Association’s website. However, certain services, such as scholarship applications, may involve the collection of personal data from minors. The Association takes reasonable steps to ensure that parental or guardian consent is obtained where required by law and that children’s data is handled in accordance with applicable regulations.

10. Updates to the Privacy Policy

The Association reserves the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy at any time. Updates will be communicated by posting the revised policy on the Association’s website. Users are encouraged to review this Privacy Policy periodically to remain informed of any changes.

11. Contact Information

For questions, concerns, or requests regarding personal data, privacy rights, or this Privacy Policy, users may contact the Association at:

  • Email: privacy@flastrawberry.com
  • Mailing Address: P.O. Drawer 2550, Plant City, FL 33564, United States
  • Phone: (813) 752-6822

The Association is dedicated to responding to all privacy-related inquiries in a timely and transparent manner.