Legislators or their representatives addressed a capacity crowd at Mayo Community Center on Monday night, Feb. 23. The local Farm Bureau office hosted the multi-county legislative meeting.

Rodney Land, Lafayette Farm Bureau president, welcomed guests from Madison, Suwannee, Hamilton, Columbia and Taylor counties.

State Representative Debbie Boyd spoke on the complexity of bills that come before legislators and the difficulty of answering the question, “is it pork?”

State Representative Leonard Bembry told the crowd, “We cannot do without your input. As we control more natural resources that any other part of the state … this presents many challenges. There are all kinds of things in the budget.”

Bembry touched on the state’s purchase of US Sugar.

“If you can’t pay your bills, then it is not the time to buy land,” he said. He noted that 53 percent of Florida is owned by federal, state or local governments. He also raised the question of taxing bottled water and the possibility of higher taxes on cigarettes.

Harold Mikell of Congressman Allen Boyd’s office said that at 83 years of age, with 14 years serving at the state level and 16 at the federal level, he is “in opposition to some things.” He stated that we are not in a depression because he remembers those times. He repeated Boyd’s campaign objectives of a “balanced budget and reducing the debt.” Boyd is one of 42 “Blue Dog” Democrats attempting to control spending in Washington.

Boyd voted no on the auto bailout and yes on the revised stimulus bill, convinced that our financial system would be “trashed” if not given help. Boyd also voted for PAGO, pay as you go, for spending bills. Mikell praised the cooperative efforts of producers, government agencies and industry for their successes over the past five years on environmental issues, especially the local dairy industry.

Adele Griffin of Sen. Mel Martinez’s office highlighted agricultural components of the stimulus package that will help producers. Martinez voted for the bank bailout but has voted no on all other stimulus bills.

Ben Parks, Florida Farm Bureau lobbyist, urged small acreage farmers to contact their property appraisers if they have been denied green belt exemption. According to Parks, no matter your acreage, you cannot be denied. He agreed with the other speakers that the stimulus bill is huge and confusing and urged everyone to stay in close contact with their state agencies and legislators.

Rod Land thanked our state legislators and representatives from our senator and congressman’s offices for their attendance and the opportunity to express our views on current issues affecting agriculture.