Freshman lawmaker sows Florida's farming interests

By JOHN BALZ

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 15, 2001

WASHINGTON -- When Adam Putnam took his oath in January as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, he was in awe of his new surroundings. Working in what he called "The Big Show," following in the mold of his political idols James Polk and Abraham Lincoln, and getting paid all the while.

But he was just a freshman, 26 years old and joining a Congress barely controlled by his Republican Party. He'd have to find a niche and start making a name for himself.

Going on almost 100 days in his adventures in national politics, Putnam has settled into a subject he's known all along: agriculture. And when Florida farmers go looking for an advocate in Congress, Putnam is likely to be their man.

Every year Florida's 35,000 farms produce nearly 230-million boxes of oranges, 12-million hides of cattle and 240-million eggs. Food sales top $8-billion and, after California, the Sunshine State is the leading producer of most of the fruits and vegetables served at American dinner tables.

Despite a diverse agriculture industry that harvests cotton in the Panhandle, cattle in Central Florida and sugar along the coast, Florida has struggled to secure more than a toehold in the national agriculture debate. People in Washington simply do not think of Florida as a farm state.

"Florida is the odd man out in American agriculture policy," said Putnam, from a cattle and ranching family in Bartow.

As the only Florida member on the House or Senate Agriculture committees, Putnam sees it as his job to ensure the state's agriculture interests receive as much attention as those from other states.

Putnam does not have to carry the load by himself. Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Monticello, helps the state secure money from his spot on the House appropriations committee, Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., has introduced his share of agriculture legislation, and the citrus industry has a well-oiled lobbying force.

Florida leads the nation in 20 commodities, mostly fresh produce such as oranges, limes and eggplant. The government considers them specialty crops.

Specialty crops get less government aid than the program crops -- heavy soybeans and grains from Midwestern breadbasket states -- that dominate the U.S. agriculture discussion.

The most heated discussion is what to do about the nation's farm law, set to expire in 2002. Enacted during the Depression to help insulate Dust Bowl farmers from shifting winds and crops' unstable prices, agriculture advocates say the law leaves the industry at the mercy of a cruel free market.

Putnam, who was chairman of the Agriculture Committee in the Florida Legislature, said he is working with legislators from other fruit and vegetable producing states, such as Texas, to persuade Midwestern representatives to vote for a boost in money for land conservation programs in return for votes in favor of the farm law.

"It's not really a competition thing because they have their little kingdom set up and we're not fighting over their portion of the kingdom," Putnam said. "We just want them to recognize that we have needs as well."

But grain and specialty crop states could be picking at a smaller pie if President Bush can pass his budget. The president's proposal cuts Agriculture Department funding by almost $1.5-billion -- more than any federal agency. And many of the cuts would come in areas especially sensitive to Florida -- firefighting resources, hurricane assistance and citrus canker eradication programs.

When asked if those cuts would survive, Putnam hedged like a congressman with the experience of 98-year-old Strom Thurmond. There will be some savings from streamlining agriculture programs, he said, but not a billion and a half dollars worth.

Recent coverage

Inspiring the opposition (February 10, 2001)

Age jokes grow old for Putnam (January 4, 2001)

Age, experience at forefront of 12th District race (September 3, 2000)

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