Florida ag department seeks growers’ Farm Bill interests

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson is leading two listening sessions to allow Florida growers and ranchers to give recommendations for the Farm Bill and related agricultural issues.

The sessions will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Eastern Oct. 9 at the Lake Placid Government Center in Lake Placid, Florida, and from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern Oct. 13 at Grantville Plantation, Newberry, Florida. Doors will open an hour before each event.

U.S. Rep. Scott Franklin is scheduled to attend the Oct. 9 session, and U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack is scheduled to attend the Oct. 13 session.

Those interested in participating should register for the events. Participants may also request to give public testimony and submit Farm Bill comments. Each speaker will be limited to two minutes. There is no guarantee that everyone who signs up to provide public testimony will have the opportunity to do so. Questions or concerns may be emailed to Communications@FDACS.gov.

Citrus growers discussed their challenges and voiced their needs during an April 24 farm bill listening session in Newberry. Among other things, they requested streamlined paperwork within the USDA’s Farm Service Agency and assistance with research on Huanglongbing, a disease that has decimated the Florida citrus industry.