We’ve been contacted by several farm groups and industry leaders who are urging farmers to contact University of Florida’s President and the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives to say “no†to disproportionate cuts to the IFAS budget.
Dade County Farm Bureau writes, “It seems that some people want to believe that agriculture in Florida is a dying industry. At the very least, some of our lawmakers want to use that as a reason for proposing drastic cuts to the IFAS budget.
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We are a constantly changing and evolving industry that relies on the research and extension efforts of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) to help us compete in the global marketplace.”Florida Farm Bureau’s view on the proposed budget cuts is as follows: “IFAS should have a proportionate share of the overall budget cuts and not have to shoulder the bulk of the budget cut for the entire University. Those cuts should be administered by the IFAS administration and not the legislature or others in the University.â€
University of Florida President Bernard Machen and House Speaker Marco Rubio contact information is below. Farm leaders ask that farmers and ranchers throughout Florida contact them and ask them NOT to support disproportionate cuts by lawmakers to the IFAS budget.
Contact information:
Dr. Bernard Machen
Phone: (352) 392-1311
Fax: (352) 392-9506
president@ufl.edu
Speaker Marco Rubio
Phone: (850) 488-1450 or (305) 442-6939
Marco.Rubio@myfloridahouse.gov