Adam Putnam

Just because Destin has no agriculture doesn’t mean the Florida Agriculture Commissioner isn’t important to the city, Florida Congressman Adam Putnam says.

“The department, in addition to promoting agriculture, also regulates timeshares, autodealers, aquacultures and promotes Florida seafood,” Putnam, a Republican running for the state cabinet post, told The Log. “The commissioner of agriculture makes important decisions about sovereign submerged lands, energy — whether renewable or traditional, natural gas-fired or nuclear-fired power plants — food safety, which is important to everyone, water-resource issues and land use.”

Term limits will force current Commissioner Charles Bronson to step down in 2010. Putnam and state Sen. Carey Baker are competing for the Republican nomination; the Democratic candidates include former state Rep. Rick Minton, former Suwannee County Commissioner Randy Hatch and former Tallahassee mayor and state Democratic Party Chairman Scott Maddox. The 2010 state primary will be Aug. 24.

Putnam arrived in Destin Tuesday to attend and address a Destin Rotary Club breakfast as Mayor Craig Barker’s guest.

Putnam said his background is perfect for the job: A fifth-generation Floridian and farmer with government experience in both Tallahassee and Washington “creates a unique set of qualifications.” He said the commissioner not only needs to understand agriculture but to have a vision for “water resources, food safety, renewable energy and land use that creates a vision for our state.”

Why shift from the U.S. Congress to the Florida Cabinet?

“There’s a couple of reasons,” Putnam said. “The first one is, I’m excited about the opportunity to focus exclusively on Florida issues. As one of four members of the cabinet, as opposed to 435 members of the house, it gives you an opportunity to implement change more quickly, and be held accountable for your own vision for the department, rather than round up 200 votes to pass a Mother’s Day resolution.”

Putnam’s campaign manager is Trey McCarley, son of former Okaloosa County Commisioner Karen Baker.

McCarley grew up in Fort Walton Beach, fishing and working in Destin for many years at Louisiana Lagniappe and Seascape resort. He has worked for Gov. Jeb Bush and the Republican Party and he has managed campaigns for former State Comptroller Bob Milligan and outgoing Ag commissioner Bronson.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Prominent environmental lobbyist Eric Draper is leaving the race for agriculture commissioner.

Pointing to his long-standing commitment as the state policy director for Audubon of Florida, Draper said Monday he had chosen to stay in that job instead of running for the Democratic nomination.

“Keeping our state staff and volunteer leaders focused on protecting the environment is very important to me and is ultimately important for all Floridians who want strong advocates for our environment,” Draper said. “We face serious challenges – from proposed coastal oil drilling to keeping Florida Forever and Everglades restoration going.”

A conservationist who pushed for land preservation, clean energy and clean water, Draper called for more cooperation between farmers, urban interests and environmentalists on water sharing and stronger control of invasive species during his brief campaign.

Although well known in Capitol circles, Draper lacked the statewide name recognition often needed in Florida to attract enough cash to fuel a successful campaign.

He is the second announced candidate to withdraw from the contest. Former state Rep. Marty Bowen, a Haines City citrus grower, announced in April she was abandoning her bid to win the Republican nomination to focus on business issues.

U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, a former state legislator from Bartow, and state Sen. Carey Baker are the GOP candidates still in the race. Putnam has built an early advantage raising money from special interest groups, unlike the Mount Dora gun shop owner.

Former Tallahassee mayor and state Democratic Party chairman Scott Maddox and former state Rep. Rick Minton of Fort Pierce are seeking the Democratic nomination. Maddox is making his third bid for statewide office.

The current commissioner of the agency formerly named the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is Republican Charles Bronson, who is precluded by Florida’s term limits law from seeking re-election a second time.

Bronson, the state’s 10th ag commissioner since the department’s creation in 1885, oversees an agency of 3,700 employees. They are responsible for a wide-ranging array of duties from inspecting gasoline pumps at service stations, controlling and eradicating pests as well as plant and animal disease, issuing concealed weapons licenses to qualified citizens and ensuring that the food supply is safe.

Florida voters will also be choosing a new governor, U.S. senator, attorney general and chief financial officer in the 2010 election cycle in addition to state legislators and local officials.

Carey Baker

Saying they are giving Floridians a chance to “fight back”, State Senator Carey Baker (R-Eustis) and State Representative Scott Plakon (R-Longwood) filed legislation yesterday to amend Florida’s Constitution to prohibit any law or rule from forcing people into a one size fits all, federally mandated health care system such as that being rushed through Congress. HJR 37 and the Senate companion legislation would preserve the freedom of our citizens to choose the kind of care they want or need.

“Today, we’re drawing the line in the sand. It is bad enough that our federal government wants to choose your doctor and ration your treatment,” Baker said. “But to do so virtually in secret and in such a rush proves that the goal is not to get better health care but to get socialized health care. Congress’ plan even penalizes people that want to pay for their own lawful health care services. That’s just wrong.”

“The federal government and its bureaucracies dictating who, when and what kind of treatment you receive is not reform at all,” said Representative Plakon. “Senator Baker and I feel it is our duty to step up and reassert the rights of Floridians, in this case protecting our citizens’ rights and freedoms to make appropriate decisions as it relates to their own health care. We believe this unprecedented power-grab by President Obama and Congress is clearly not in the best interests of the citizens of Florida.”

Plakon added historical context to this important legislation, pointing out that in 1787, Dr. Benjamin Rush, America’s foremost respected physician of his time, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, worked diligently to have the protection of “medical freedom” as a key addition to the US Constitution. Dr. Rush warned that medicine could become “an undercover dictatorship and force people who wish doctors and treatment of their own choice to submit to only what the dictating outfit offers.”

Baker and Plakon agreed that America’s health care system provides the most advanced health care opportunities in the world and that totally dismantling it is a dangerous step backwards. They went on to say that the fear of the federal government rationing care is a very real consequence of the legislation Congress is trying to ram through. Both said that efforts to improve health care access and affordability are important, but that the starting point in those efforts must start with protecting people’s freedom in choosing doctors, treatments and insurance options.

To amend Florida’s Constitution, the Florida House and Senate must pass the referendum language in next year’s legislative session with a super majority (3/5) voting in favor. Then the measure goes before the voters in the 2010 November general election and must pass with at least 60% voting in favor.
ABOUT CAREY BAKER: Senator Carey Baker has served in the Florida Army National Guard for over 28 years. Most recently, he was deployed for a year in Iraq’s Sunni Triangle during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Carey is also the owner of the nation’s oldest continuously operating gun shop, the A.W. Peterson Gun Shop in Mount Dora, Florida.

Carey currently represents Florida’s 20th District in the State Senate, which includes parts of Lake, Marion, Volusia, Seminole and Sumter Counties. He has announced his candidacy for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture (www.careybaker.com), a position that oversees the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and is one of four statewide elected members of the Florida Cabinet.

Congressman Adam Putnam, R-Bartow, seeking the Republican nomination Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, speaks at a Hobe Sound Chamber of Commerce breakfast on July 2.

Marlene O'Toole

If you have been living under a rock lately you may have missed the push by states to get 10^th amendment resolutions passed.  These are to remind the Federal Government of States Rights and State Sovereignty.

Most recently Montana passed a fantastic piece of legislation called the Montana Firearms Freedom Bill.  What does this bill do?  Simple, It tells the Federal Government that any firearms or ammunition created, built or sold in the state of Montana are not subject to Federal Legislation.

Representative O’Toole has introduced such legislation in the Florida House.  Her bill HB-21 is almost the same as the Montana Bill.  When I called her office for comment she was out of town.  But I will be following up with her about the bill.  I hope everyone interested in the bill in the State of Florida will call all of his or her Representatives in the State House to support this bill.

Also there is a rumor that Sen. Carey Baker is going to introduce a companion bill in the Florida Senate.  Sen. Baker is currently running for Commissioner of Agriculture in Florida.  This office oversees concealed weapons permits among other things.

This will be a great issue to watch and hopefully get passed!

Adam Putnam

Below is a press release sent out from Adam Putnam for Commissioner of Agriculture campaign.  Looks like Adam is getting the support of local farmers and ranchers even though he was responsible for imposing more regulation on them with his support of HR 2749 which will impose serious regulation & fees on Farmers and Ranchers. ——

BARTOW – Fifteen of Florida’s county Farm Bureaus have offered their official endorsement of Congressman Adam Putnam for Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture in 2010. Dade, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hillsborough, Jackson, Madison, Manatee, Okeechobee, Orange, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Polk and Western Palm Beach Counties all joined together in supporting the candidate they believe will best represent Florida agriculture, Congressman Adam Putnam.

“Adam Putnam is the clear choice for Florida’s next Commissioner of Agriculture,” said Dale McClellan, Hillsborough County Farm Bureau President. “His experience and dedication to the farmers, ranchers and consumers of this state are unmatched.”

“Palm Beach County Farm Bureau, the state’s largest agricultural county, is proud to endorse Congressman Putnam, a true agriculturalist, for Commissioner of Agriculture,” said Cary Braswell, Palm Beach County Farm Bureau President. “He understands the need for quality agriculture production, the importance of ensuring food safety, private property rights and stewardship of the land.”

Adam has previously received endorsements from the Florida Nursery Growers & Landscape Association, Southeast Milk Producers, Indian River Citrus League and Florida Citrus Mutual.

“While I know that Florida Farm Bureau does not endorse candidates, the early support of these county Farm Bureau organizations mean a great deal to me and my campaign. I look forward to earning the support of other counties, as well,” said Congressman Putnam. “Our campaign is continuing to gain momentum and with the agriculture community by my side we will continue to run a new kind of campaign for Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services. I am committed to bringing new energy and modernization to this department and renewed emphasis on transparency and ethics.”

As the state’s largest agriculture organization, Florida Farm Bureau represents more than 138,000 members, farms and ranches. For more than 68 years, Farm Bureau has been a leading voice in promoting the food, fiber and natural resources of Florida, which contributes more than $7.8 billion to our state economy. The Florida Farm Bureau organization has a policy that it does not endorse candidates; however, many of its county organizations are willing to do so.

Adam Putnam is a Polk County citrus grower and cattleman who has represented the Twelfth Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives since January 2001. He also served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1996 to 2000. Adam resides in his hometown of Bartow with his wife Melissa and their four children.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Former Florida Democratic Party Chairman Scott Maddox will file paperwork to enter the agriculture commissioner race next week, ending a four-year break from politics.

Maddox, who said he lived on a small farm when growing up south of Miami and whose wife comes from a family that’s farmed for generations, said he will emphasize the consumer services aspect of the job.

“That’s a very important position for Floridians. That job basically regulates most all the things that affects the consumer and I think that’s where that race out to be,” Maddox said. “Of course, you’re there to promote agriculture but consumer services is a huge part of this job.”

Maddox was briefly a candidate for governor before dropping out of the race in 2005 and endorsing eventual nominee Jim Davis, who lost the 2006 general election to Charlie Crist. Similarly, Maddox was a close runner-up in the 2002 primary for attorney general, losing to Buddy Dyer who lost the general election to Crist.

Maddox also served as Tallahassee mayor for 10 years before running the state Democratic Party for two years, leaving in 2005 when he entered the governor’s race. Since then, Maddox has worked at his private law practice, where he represents local governments.

He was in second place in Democratic primary polls when he left the governor’s race among criticism over accounting mistakes at the party. The party was slapped with a lien by the Internal Revenue Service for failing to pay $200,000 in payroll and Social Security taxes in 2003. There were also discrepancies on the party’s balance sheet that needed to be cleared up.

A former statewide prosecutor was hired to investigate the problems and found Maddox was not directly responsible, but that he could have done a better job of hiring the party’s accountant.

“The only blemish on his record turned out to be not a blemish when they found that there were no improprieties,” said former national Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean. “He’s very much of a go-getter who had his career unfairly interrupted and now he has a real opportunity to run for a major office again.”

Current Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson, a Republican, can’t run for a third term because of term limits.

Maddox will become the best known name in the Democratic field. Among other Democratic candidates for the position are Audubon of Florida lobbyist Eric Draper and former state Rep. Rick Minton. Republicans seeking the seat include U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam of Bartow and state Sen. Carey Baker of Eustis.

Putnam, whose family has farmed Florida for five generations, is considered the favorite on the Republican side.

“I don’t think it’s about who is the best farmer, or whose roots go back the farthest, I think it’s going to be about your ideas for the state both in agriculture and consumer services and as a Cabinet member,” Maddox said. “Adam Putnam has shown that he is from the right wing base of the Republican Congress.”

Carey Baker

Florida Senator Carey Baker attended a Tea Party in Orlando on the 4^th of July.  He spoke on 2^nd amendment rights and his campaign for Commissioner of Agriculture.  Baker who owns the oldest Gun Store in Florida has been polling very well compared to Adam Putnam who is also vying for the position.

Below are videos of his speech.  We had to split them into two.

U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Bartow, said he is pleased with the direction food safety legislation is taking in the House of Representatives. The Food Safety Enhancement Act (H.R. 2749) was marked up in the Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday.

“This legislation includes the key principles we established in the bipartisan legislation I introduced with Congressman Jim Costa (D-Calif.) earlier this year,” Putnam said in a news release.

“It expands the authority of the Food and Drug administration (FDA) to quickly respond to threats to our nation’s food supply. It strengthens preventative measures with new science- and risk-based food safety standards. It calls for updated food safety plans within food operations domestically and abroad to identify and prevent potential sources of food-borne illness. And it holds imported foods to American safety standards,” he added.

HR 2749 gives FDA tremendous power while significantly diminishing existing judicial restraints on actions taken by the agency.  The bill would impose a one-size-fits-all regulatory scheme on small farms and local artisanal producers; and it would disproportionately impact their operations for the worse.

HR 2749 does not address underlying causes of food safety problems such as industrial agriculture practices and the consolidation of our food supply.  The industrial food system and food imports are badly in need of effective regulation, but the bill does not specifically direct regulation or resources to these areas.

You can view the entire bill here

Some of the more alarming provisions in the bill are:

* HR 2749 would impose an annual registration fee of $500 on any “facility” that holds, processes, or manufactures food.  [isn't this every home in the US, every garden?]  Although “farms” are exempt, the agency has defined “farm” narrowly.  [What is the definition?]  And people making foods such as lacto-fermented vegetables, cheeses, or breads would be required to register and pay the fee, which could drive beginning and small producers out of business during difficult economic times. [Yes.  There are laws against this corporate-size-destroys-the-little-guy policy, aren't there?  Are home bread or cheese or lacto-fermented vegetable makers who make for their own families included in this?]

* HR 2749 would empower FDA to regulate how crops are raised and harvested.  It puts the federal government right on the farm, dictating to our farmers.  [This astounding control opens the door to CODEX.  WTO "good farming practices" will include the elimination of organic farming by eliminating manure, mandating GMO animal feed, imposing animal drugs, and ordering applications of petrochemical fertilizers and pesticides.  Farmers, thus, will be locked not only into the industrialization of once normal and organic farms but into the forced purchase of industry's products.  They will be slaves on the land, doing the work they are ordered to do - against their own best wisdom - and paying out to industry against their will.

There will be no way to be frugal, to grow one’s own grain to feed the animals, to raise healthy animals without GMO grains or drugs, to work with nature at all.  Grassfed cattle and poultry and hogs will be finished.  So, it’s obvious where control will take us.  And weren’t these the “rumors on the internet” that were dismissed but are clearly the case?]

* HR 2749 would give FDA the power to order a quarantine of a geographic area, including “prohibiting or restricting the movement of food or of any vehicle being used or that has been used to transport or hold such food within the geographic area.”  [This - "that has been used to transport or hold such food" - would mean all cars that have ever brought groceries home so this means ALL TRANSPORTATION can be shut down under this.  This is using food as a cover for martial law.]  Under this provision, farmers markets and local food sources could be shut down, even if they are not the source of the contamination.  The agency can halt all movement of all food in a geographic area.  [This is also a means of total control over the population under the cover of food, and at any time.]

* HR 2749 would empower FDA to make random warrantless searches of the business records of small farmers and local food producers, without any evidence whatsoever that there has been a violation.  [If these bills cover all who "hold food" then this allows for taking of records of anyone at any time on no basis at all.]  Even farmers selling direct to consumers would have to provide the federal government with records on where they buy supplies, how they raise their crops, and a list of customers.

* HR 2749 charges the Secretary of Health and Human Services with establishing a tracing system for food.  Each “person who produces, manufactures, processes, packs, transports, or holds such food” [Is this not every home in the US?]  would have to “maintain the full pedigree of the origin and previous distribution history of the food,” and “establish and maintain a system for tracing the food that is interoperable with the systems established and maintained by other such persons.”  The bill does not explain how far the traceback will extend or how it will be done for multi-ingredient foods.  With all these ambiguities, [with all these ambiguities, it is dangerous, period, separate from the money] it’s far from clear how much it will cost either the farmers or the taxpayers.  [It is massive and absurd and burdensome beyond the capacity of people to comply - is this not fascism? - so it is a set up for being used to impose penalties endlessly and/or to eliminate anyone at will.]

*  HR 2749 creates severe criminal and civil penalties, including prison terms of up to 10 years and/or fines of up to $100,000 for each violation for individuals.  [Does it include judicial review, Congressional oversight, a defined and limited set of penalties and punishments for a defined set of “crimes”?  Or is it entirely ambiguous and left to the whim and sole power of “the Administrator”?  Who is that person set to be?  Is it Michael Taylor, Monsanto lawyer and executive, as Food Democracy has said?  That is, do these bills set up an agency by which the entire US food supply will be turned over to the control of a multinational corporation under WTO regulations (and not to US farmers and not to US laws under the Constitution), with boundless freedom to do what it wants, and one infamous for harm to farmers and lack of safety of food?

Action to Take:

Contact your Representative now!  Ask to speak with the staffer who handles food issues.  Tell them you are opposed to the bill.  Some points to make in telling your Representative why you oppose HR 2749 include:

1.  The bill imposes burdensome requirements while not specifically targeting the industrial food system and food imports, where the real food safety problems lie.

2.  Small farms and local food processors are part of the solution to food safety; lessening the regulatory burden on them will improve food safety.

3.  The bill gives FDA much more power than it has had in the past while making the agency less accountable for its actions.

HR 2749 needs to be defeated!!  Please take action NOW.

As of last Saturday State Senator and candidate for Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Carey Baker (R-Eustis), has suspended his campaign activities for the next two weeks while fulfilling his duties as a First Sergeant in Florida’s Army National Guard.

“As a Guardsman, we train for two weeks each summer and one weekend a month. As a soldier I have been very excited about this particular course as it trains us on some of the newest and most effective tactics” Baker said in a phone interview while en route to the South Carolina training facility. “I am suspending my campaign activities for Commissioner of Agriculture to focus all my energy on my Guard duties.”

Baker has served in the Florida Army National Guard for over 28 years including spending over 14 months deployed, with the majority of that time spent in Iraq’s Sunni Triangle during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Senator Baker currently represents Florida’s 20^th Senate District including parts of Lake, Marion, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia Counties.

To learn more about Sen. Carey Baker’s campaign visit his site http://www.careybaker.com/