Spending most of this week in Washington D. C., we’re catching up with some key Congressmen closely involved in agricultural issues involving our region. Congressman Steve Southerland represents a big chunk of the Florida panhandle, but is involved in issues critical for farmers throughout the state and region. Click to hear his timely and pointed comments about several of these issues.
First, Southerland explains why he is no longer a member of the House Agriculture Committee:
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Addressing citrus research funding issues, Southerland points out that last year was the first time federal research dollars being designated for Florida:
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Southerland is also pushing to level the playing field for rural areas to compete with more populous areas when it comes to rural development programs:
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Endangered species is an issue on Southerland’s radar too. He has been appointed to a special task force to study the Endangered Species Act as the Administration is expected to look at a few hundred more species to potentially add to the list:
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(Photo right: Southerland and Southeast AgNet Founder & President Gary Cooper in Southerland’s Washington D. C. office)
And as the immigration issue grinds on, Southerland explains the debate involves a lot of different factions:
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Finally, Southerland offers a shout out for Florida Farm Bureau members who visited Washington D. C. this week on their annual “Field to the Hill” national legislative trip:
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