Florida Farm Bureau Responds to Governor’s
Veto of SB 1712
(GAINESVILLE, Fla.) - Florida Farm Bureau Federation
President Carl B. Loop today issued a statement in response
to the veto of SB 1712, the Agricultural Economic and Development
Act:
“I am disappointed that Gov. Bush has vetoed this measure
which was important for the wellbeing of our state’s farmers
and ranchers.
“The bill passed the 160-member legislature
with only seven dissenting votes. It would have had an overall
positive effect on the state’s agriculture industry.
“The concept embodied in the bill would
be a valuable tool for containing sprawl while protecting farmers
whose livelihoods are threatened by growth. Florida Farm Bureau
Federation and other agricultural groups are not discouraged
by the Governor’s veto. We will make this legislation
a top priority for the 2005 legislative session.
“It is unfortunate that the governor was
persuaded to veto the bill by alarmist arguments that stretched
the truth. The bill fell victim to a campaign of misrepresentation
and exaggeration from organizations and agencies that failed
to come to the table while it was being considered by lawmakers.”
The Florida Farm Bureau Federation is the state's
largest general-interest agricultural association with more
than 152,000 member-families statewide. There are Farm Bureaus
in 62 counties in Florida. More information is available on
the organization’s website, http://FloridaFarmBureau.org.
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Florida Farm Bureau Federation