About Adam

Early last year, Congressman Adam Putnam announced his candidacy for Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture – a role that allows him to return to his agricultural roots while continuing to serve the state that generations of his family have called home.

Adam Putnam has been a strong, conservative voice in both the Florida House of Representatives and the U.S. Congress.  Elected to the state House at the age of 22, Adam quickly became the Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, where he led on the many issues facing Florida’s dynamic agriculture industry including property rights, water and the Everglades.

During Adam’s tenure in Congress, he served as a member of the House Committee on Government Reform, serving as a Subcommittee Chairman, Rules Committee, Agriculture Committee and the Financial Services Committee.  Additionally, he was elected by his colleagues to the Chairmanship of the House Republican Conference; the highest elected leadership position any Floridian of either party has ever held.

Throughout his Congressional career, Adam has been recognized as a leader on a variety of issues, most notably agriculture, food safety, childhood nutrition, energy and government efficiency.

As a member of the Farm Bill House-Senate Conference Committee, Adam helped bring major program reform to policies impacting Florida agriculture including, specialty crop block grants and a new mandatory specialty crop initiative — both of which Florida will be a top recipient. Adam also led the effort in bringing disaster assistance to impacted agriculture in Florida after the 2004 hurricane season and coordinated the federal response to the outbreak of citrus canker.

Leaders from both sides of the political aisle have applauded Adam’s leadership on reforming our food safety laws.  In addition to introducing one of the first major bi-partisan food safety reform bills, Adam’s legislation was included within the comprehensive food safety legislation passed by Congress.

Adam has also been an outspoken proponent of reforming our government to ensure additional oversight and transparency.  Most recently, he drafted legislation that would reform the “earmark” process in Congress — reforms that have now been instituted.

Adam is a fifth generation Floridian born into a Polk County citrus and cattle ranching family.  He is a graduate of the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science degree in Food and Resource Economics.  Adam makes his home in Bartow with his wife, Melissa, and their four children.