Rep. Tom Rooney (R-16) was appointed to serve on the House Committee on Agriculture, becoming the only Florida member to serve on that body.
“This is great news,” said John L. Hoblick, president of Florida Farm Bureau Federation. “The Agriculture Committee impacts our industry in so many ways and I’m glad that Rep. Rooney will be a part of its deliberations. He has done a great job representing the diverse agriculture industry in his district, and I know he will make a positive impact on the committee.”
Rooney is in his first term representing Florida’s 16th district, one of the largest and most diverse agricultural districts in the country.
“Our farmers deserve a strong voice in Washington,” Rooney said. “I am honored to be the only member of the Florida delegation serving on the House Agriculture Committee because a safe and abundant food supply is essential to our country.”
The House Committee on Agriculture oversees legislation involving farms and farming, forestry, nutrition, rural development, school nutrition and other issues that are of keen interest to Florida’s agricultural industry. The committee plays a vital role in crafting the nation’s farm policy, and has already begun work on the 2012 farm bill.