By Martin E. Comas, Orlando Sentinel [link]
GROVELAND – U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, who is running for state agriculture commissioner, stopped at several citrus groves in south Lake County today as part of a statewide tour to assess the damage on the agricultural industry caused by this week’s frigid temperatures.
“I was surprised to see the extent of damage,” Putnam said. “Unfortunately, we saw not only fresh-fruit damage but also leaf and some wood damage [to the trees]. Of course that has an impact on future years of production.”
Putnam, a Republican from Bartow, made the stop in Groveland and Mascotte after visiting a tropical fish farm near Plant City as part of a three-day tour.
On Friday, he plans to meet with tropical plant growers in Broward County and vegetable farmers near Belle Glade. Then Monday, he is scheduled to visit citrus and vegetable growers in Immokalee and Naples.
This comes after state Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Bronson said this week that preliminary estimates show that as much as 30 percent of Florida’s crops have been destroyed by the stubborn cold weather that gripped the state for two weeks. Florida agriculture has an $87 billion impact on the state’s economy.
Putnam added that he and 11 other members of Florida’s congressional delegation are urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture for federal aid and Gov. Charlie Crist declare the damage an emergency disaster.
Putnam was first elected to Congress in 2001. State Sen. Carey Baker, R-Eustis, also is seeking the the GOP nomination for state agriculture commissioner this year.
Copyright © 2010, Orlando Sentinel
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