By Carly Barnes
Fifth generation farmer and six-term Congressman Allen Boyd spoke to members of the Florida Farm Bureau at a luncheon on Monday at the Jackson County Extension Building in Marianna.
After being introduced by Farm Bureau District President Jeff Pittman, Congressman Boyd began with an overview of the 2008 Farm Bill’s position in Congress. The current farm bill will expire on March 15 of this year, and since the new law has not been passed, Boyd could not give specifics of the 2008 bill. However, he did mention that the House and Senate are "not that far apart" in their separate bills, and that both legislative bodies and President Bush will attempt to propose laws that are advantageous to everyone.
A farmer himself, Allen Boyd understands the importance of the issues related to the farm bill. Boyd emphasized the need for non-carbon based fuels, such as ethanol or bio-fuels. He said that our nation is being threatened by the high cost of foreign oil, and that this cost will keep our great economy from being sustainable unless alternative energy sources can be developed.
According to Boyd, new specialty crops that are more prevalent in south Florida will be included in the new farm laws, as they do not already have programs written in the current legislation. There is also a consideration of payment limitations that will affect the peanut crop, which will be the first rewrite of this bill since the change in the peanut program in 2002. If the 2008 Farm Bill were for some reason not to be passed by the upcoming March 15 deadline, then the 1949 permanent law, with no peanut program, would go back into effect. Despite the short amount of time left, Boyd said that he is confident that the needed law will be passed in time.
After Boyd gave an overview of the bill, he opened the floor to questions from the audience. The main concerns expressed by attendees were the rising costs of fuel, the unaffordable cost of labor, and the need for better management of our natural resources.
On the oil issue, Boyd said, "We can’t get to where we are independent from foreign oil." He explained that the fuel industry in the U.S.A. is in a capitalistic system, and private industry has to work out its own problems. Since carbon based fuel is controlled by a small group of people in another part of the world, the government has to provide incentives in our tax codes to encourage production of alternative fuels, according to Boyd.
He also addressed consideration of drilling for oil off the coast in the Gulf of Mexico and in Alaska, and acknowledged that there is no one solution to our dependency on foreign oil. The rising cost of fuel has a direct effect on the rising cost of crops and other farm products.
When addressing concerns about immigration, Boyd recognizes that most people only hear the negative stigma about illegal immigration. However, the entire American service industry, especially the agriculture industry, is in dire need of an affordable workforce. Congressman Boyd emphasized that people come to America to work. Without migrant workers, more American industries will be forced to go overseas.
According to Boyd, our newly elected President will have to provide leadership in this issue and will have to work with Congress find a way to solve the immigration problem. Also, the employer community will have to play a big part in the solution. All in all, the American government needs to find a way to know who comes across our borders, why they are here, how long they will be here, and how to get them here to work legally.
Congressman Boyd referred to amnesty as "the lightning rod term" for immigration issues and said, "We are a nation of laws—if people have broken the law, we believe they should be punished." Boyd mentioned a possible incentive program for immigrants to pay their dues, leave, and come back into the country legally.
Another issue brought up at the luncheon was the water war between Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. Boyd criticized the three states for not coming to a settlement themselves, and explained that Georgia has done no planning in past years to manage their water.
Florida began its Water Management Districts over 30 years ago to ensure that our state would have manageable water resources. Boyd explained that although there is a lot of irrigated land in Georgia and Florida, the water resources have not been abused by farmers. However, large cities like Atlanta have no water management plans. He said that Georgia needs to start planning now because they cannot stop the water flow into Florida. We not only need water flow from Georgia into our farms and businesses, but also into the Apalachicola Bay system.
The last issue discussed was that of the University of Florida budget cuts that will affect the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences research centers in Florida. Industry leaders are advocating proportionate, across the board cuts. Florida Farm Bureau President John Hoblick and other industry leaders will meet with University of Florida President Dr. Bernie Machen within the next two weeks on this issue. It is important that Dr. Machen fully understands the importance of agricultural research to Florida’s farmers and producers as they battle diseases that affect their crops and products.
Boyd closed with a few remarks about agriculture, saying, "I am proud to be sitting in a room with people who have devoted their lives to agriculture." He reminded those in attendance that the National Ag Policy is closely related to our national security, noting that we have to sustain our agriculture industry in order to keep producing our own food and fiber. "Agriculture allows us to have the standard of living we enjoy", Boyd said, "and that what helps the agriculture industry in turn helps the consumer".
Boyd’s final statement was that less than 2 percent of our population is involved in production agriculture, but we still have the cheapest, safest food supply in the world.
After being introduced by Farm Bureau District President Jeff Pittman, Congressman Boyd began with an overview of the 2008 Farm Bill’s position in Congress. The current farm bill will expire on March 15 of this year, and since the new law has not been passed, Boyd could not give specifics of the 2008 bill. However, he did mention that the House and Senate are "not that far apart" in their separate bills, and that both legislative bodies and President Bush will attempt to propose laws that are advantageous to everyone.
A farmer himself, Allen Boyd understands the importance of the issues related to the farm bill. Boyd emphasized the need for non-carbon based fuels, such as ethanol or bio-fuels. He said that our nation is being threatened by the high cost of foreign oil, and that this cost will keep our great economy from being sustainable unless alternative energy sources can be developed.
According to Boyd, new specialty crops that are more prevalent in south Florida will be included in the new farm laws, as they do not already have programs written in the current legislation. There is also a consideration of payment limitations that will affect the peanut crop, which will be the first rewrite of this bill since the change in the peanut program in 2002. If the 2008 Farm Bill were for some reason not to be passed by the upcoming March 15 deadline, then the 1949 permanent law, with no peanut program, would go back into effect. Despite the short amount of time left, Boyd said that he is confident that the needed law will be passed in time.
After Boyd gave an overview of the bill, he opened the floor to questions from the audience. The main concerns expressed by attendees were the rising costs of fuel, the unaffordable cost of labor, and the need for better management of our natural resources.
On the oil issue, Boyd said, "We can’t get to where we are independent from foreign oil." He explained that the fuel industry in the U.S.A. is in a capitalistic system, and private industry has to work out its own problems. Since carbon based fuel is controlled by a small group of people in another part of the world, the government has to provide incentives in our tax codes to encourage production of alternative fuels, according to Boyd.
He also addressed consideration of drilling for oil off the coast in the Gulf of Mexico and in Alaska, and acknowledged that there is no one solution to our dependency on foreign oil. The rising cost of fuel has a direct effect on the rising cost of crops and other farm products.
When addressing concerns about immigration, Boyd recognizes that most people only hear the negative stigma about illegal immigration. However, the entire American service industry, especially the agriculture industry, is in dire need of an affordable workforce. Congressman Boyd emphasized that people come to America to work. Without migrant workers, more American industries will be forced to go overseas.
According to Boyd, our newly elected President will have to provide leadership in this issue and will have to work with Congress find a way to solve the immigration problem. Also, the employer community will have to play a big part in the solution. All in all, the American government needs to find a way to know who comes across our borders, why they are here, how long they will be here, and how to get them here to work legally.
Congressman Boyd referred to amnesty as "the lightning rod term" for immigration issues and said, "We are a nation of laws—if people have broken the law, we believe they should be punished." Boyd mentioned a possible incentive program for immigrants to pay their dues, leave, and come back into the country legally.
Another issue brought up at the luncheon was the water war between Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. Boyd criticized the three states for not coming to a settlement themselves, and explained that Georgia has done no planning in past years to manage their water.
Florida began its Water Management Districts over 30 years ago to ensure that our state would have manageable water resources. Boyd explained that although there is a lot of irrigated land in Georgia and Florida, the water resources have not been abused by farmers. However, large cities like Atlanta have no water management plans. He said that Georgia needs to start planning now because they cannot stop the water flow into Florida. We not only need water flow from Georgia into our farms and businesses, but also into the Apalachicola Bay system.
The last issue discussed was that of the University of Florida budget cuts that will affect the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences research centers in Florida. Industry leaders are advocating proportionate, across the board cuts. Florida Farm Bureau President John Hoblick and other industry leaders will meet with University of Florida President Dr. Bernie Machen within the next two weeks on this issue. It is important that Dr. Machen fully understands the importance of agricultural research to Florida’s farmers and producers as they battle diseases that affect their crops and products.
Boyd closed with a few remarks about agriculture, saying, "I am proud to be sitting in a room with people who have devoted their lives to agriculture." He reminded those in attendance that the National Ag Policy is closely related to our national security, noting that we have to sustain our agriculture industry in order to keep producing our own food and fiber. "Agriculture allows us to have the standard of living we enjoy", Boyd said, "and that what helps the agriculture industry in turn helps the consumer".
Boyd’s final statement was that less than 2 percent of our population is involved in production agriculture, but we still have the cheapest, safest food supply in the world.
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