News Release

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) -- Florida Farm Bureau members descended upon Washington, D.C. this week in an effort to have Florida’s congressional delegation understand issues important to Florida agriculture, allowing the congressional members to make informed voting choices.

Over 40 members and staff participated in the three-day effort. “The investment that our members have made in time and effort on this trip will pay dividends for Florida agriculture,” said Carl Loop Jr, president of Florida Farm Bureau Federation. “I am pleased that our members brought important agricultural issues to their elected leaders and to the appropriate agencies.”

Issues spotlighted by the farm group included an exemption for the citrus tariff under the proposed Free Trade of the Americas Agreement (F.T.A.A.), permanent repeal of the death tax, establishment of Farm and Ranch Risk Management accounts, maintaining Florida producers’ competitive position by keeping the use of methyl bromide and country of origin labeling.

“The 20 congressional offices we met with certainly know how our members feel on these specific issues,” said Ray Hodge, director of national affairs for Florida Farm Bureau. “I am encouraged by the support we received from those congressional members.”

John Smoak, a citrus grower from Highlands County, attended the trip for the first time this year. “I am pleased with the reception we received from Congresswoman Katherine Harris regarding her support of our efforts to maintain the citrus tariff,” said Smoak. “There are only two players in the world orange juice market, Brazil and Florida. As it stands, there is a great disparity in production costs due to environmental, land, water management and labor costs.” Smoak said. Lowering the tariff on imported citrus would eliminate Florida as a competitor and would give Brazil a monopoly in orange juice trade. It would allow Brazil growers to ship more product and control our market.

Loop, who serves as a member of the U.S. Trade Representative’s (U.S.T.R.) Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee and Rep. Adam Putnam’s Trade Advisory Task Force, also led a small group meeting at the U.S.T.R. on the F.T.A.A. and the citrus tariff. “I was pleased to see the openness and degree of knowledge of the issue exhibited by the staff of U.S.T.R.,” Loop said. “It’s obvious that not only Congressman Putnam and his trade task force have made an impact but also other congressional offices such as Congresswoman Harris who have joined our fight. I felt that our citrus growers had a meaningful discussion while meeting at the U.S.T.R. offices.”

Several tax issues were important to Farm Bureau members as the Ways and Means Committee moved through the markup process of the President’s tax stimulus package. “Support for reduction in the capital gains rates and dividend rates are important to agricultural producers,” said David McDonald, a nurseryman from Lake County. He said that the permanent repeal of the death tax is especially important in a state like Florida, where land values can explode. “Growth and development can disrupt the orderly transition of a farm from one generation to the next because of increasing land value,” said McDonald. Taxes, which can be as high as 49 percent, sometimes force property owners to sell off their land to pay the tax. “Not only does the farmer lose, but the state loses green space due to the forced development to pay the estate taxes,” said McDonald.

The Florida Farm Bureau Federation is the state's largest general-interest agricultural association with more than 150,000 member-families statewide. There are Farm Bureaus in 62 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 about Florida Farm Bureau is available on the organization’s website, http://FloridaFarmBureau.org.