(DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.) - Florida Farm Bureau Federation, the state’s largest general-interest agricultural organization, has honored Sen. Nancy Argenziano, R-Crystal River, and Reps. Marty Bowen, R-Winter Haven, Ralph Poppell, R-Titusville, and Richard Machek, D-Delray Beach, as “Legislators of the Year” for outstanding work on behalf of Florida agriculture during the 2003 session of the Florida Legislature. The awards were announced at the organization’s annual meeting Oct. 22-24 at the Adam’s Mark Daytona Beach Resort.
“It was a difficult year for the state Legislature, but thanks to the hard work and dedication of our award recipients, it was a good year for the agricultural industry,” said Ben Parks, FFBF director of legislative affairs.
Sen. Argenziano served in the House of Representatives for six years before moving to the Senate following the 2002 elections. She was appointed chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “She has proven to be a stalwart champion of agriculture, sponsoring S.B. 1660, the Agricultural Lands and Practices Act, our top legislative priority,” said Parks. The measure was passed without objection in both houses and signed by Gov. Bush. It prevents county and local governments from placing restrictions on agricultural operations where regulations by state or federal governments already exist.
Rep. Bowen was elected to the House in 2000 and chaired the House Agriculture Committee in the 2003 session. She also served as vice-chair of the Appropriations subcommittee handling the Department of Agriculture’s budget and served on the General Appropriations Committee. “Marty is a citrus grower herself and understands the issues facing our industry,” Parks said. In addition to her legislative duties, Bowen is an active member of the Polk County Farm Bureau.
Rep. Poppell was elected to the House in 2002, and sponsored the House version of the Agricultural Land and Practices Act. “It was an initiation by fire in many ways, but Ralph proved that he could handle it,” said Parks. Poppell serves on the Agriculture Committee, the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and Natural Resources and the
Finance and Tax Committee, as well as on committees dealing with health care and public security. He has been a member of the St. Lucie County Farm Bureau for 27 years, is a past president of that organization and serves on the Florida Farm Bureau Federation state board.
Rep. Machek serves on several committees that are important to Farm Bureau: Agriculture, Natural Resources, Everglades Oversight, Public Lands and Water Resources and on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and Natural Resources. He served as the president of the Palm Beach County Farm Bureau for eight years, as its vice president for four, and also served on the Florida Farm Bureau state board.
The Florida Farm Bureau Federation is the state's largest general-interest agricultural association with more than 151,000 member-families statewide. There are Farm Bureaus in 65 counties in Florida, where agriculture comprises a stable, vital leg of Florida's economy, rivaling the tourism industry in economic importance. Headquartered in Gainesville, the Federation is an independent, non-profit agricultural organization and is not associated with any arm of the government. More information is available on the organization’s website, http://FloridaFarmBureau.org.
Florida Farm Bureau Federation