Opinion: Plenty Of Citrus On The Menu In Tallahassee

Mike Sparks_FCM

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State lobbying is a big part of what Florida Citrus Mutual does and 2012 will be no different. Although we monitor all issues important to agriculture during the session, a few measures stand out and we will give them particular attention.

Here’s a list of the bills at the forefront of FCM’s state agenda in 2012:

HB 1237/SB 1648

This is the industry’s vetted effort to revise the Florida Citrus Code. It provides for appointment of Department of Citrus’ (DOC) executive director; revises terms of Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) members; provides for staggered terms of members appointed from each citrus district; establishes staffing requirements for DOC; deletes requirements for days, hours, and other conditions of employment for DOC employees; repeals various statutory standards, and authorizes DOC to adopt rules prescribing such standards.

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HB 1021/SB 1184

This bill would allow citrus harvesting equipment and citrus fruit loaders to use off-road fuel when moving from grove to grove. The exemption currently is provided for farm equipment moving from farm to farm but not harvesting equipment. This has been a common sense change that we’ve pursued a couple of times. Hopefully, with our strong support in the legislature, this measure will become law in 2012. HB 1021 and SB 1184 also prohibits certain governmental entities from charging stormwater management assessments or fees on certain bona fide farm operations and revises Florida Uniform Traffic Control Law to authorize use of citrus harvesting equipment and citrus fruit loaders to transport certain agricultural products and to authorize use of certain motor vehicles to transport citrus. Perhaps the bill’s most controversial aspect is the section that prohibits knowing entry upon and unauthorized recording of sounds or images of farm or farm operation.

HB 821/SB 592

This measure exempts electricity used by off-farm packinghouses from tax on sales, use, and other transactions. This is a very important measure that could greatly benefit our fresh packinghouses.

HB 1315/SB 1638

This is the 2012 “E-Verify” bill supported by Tea Party activists and other uninformed critics of U.S. immigration policy. The bill requires every employer to use the federal E-Verify system on or after a specified date; provides that business that does not use federal E-Verify system to verify employment eligibility of new employee shall lose its license to do business in state until business has registered with E-Verify system; prohibits employer from employing unauthorized alien; requires every public employer to register with and participate in E-Verify system for specified purposes; prohibits public employer, contractor, or subcontractor from entering into contract for physical performance of services in this state unless contractor or subcontractor registers and participates in system.

We will do everything within FCM’s power to defeat this bill.

HB 7003/SB 1354

The measure requires the Department of Environmental Protection, in coordination with water management districts, to develop statewide resource permitting rules for activities relating to management and storage of surface waters; preserves exemption from causes of action under Bert J. Harris, Jr., Private Property Rights Protection Act; provides exemption from Administrative Procedure Act; requires counties, municipalities, and delegated local pollution control programs to amend ordinances and regulations; provides applicability, effect, and repeal of specified rules; provides presumption of compliance for certain stormwater management systems; and provides exemptions for specified stormwater management systems and permitted activities.

In addition, we will continue to pursue a budget appropriation for citrus disease research. This funding will help supplement grower tax dollars that have already been put toward disease research via the Citrus Research and Development Foundation. We were successful in getting $2 million in funding through the legislature last session, however it was vetoed by Gov. Rick Scott. Scott has told us that he will not veto any funding measure in 2012.

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