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 5/10 Good --- weblogs.sun-sentinel.com http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/dcblog/index.xml
| William E. Gibson, who has been covering Washington for the Sun-Sentinel for nearly 25 years, writes on politics and policies that affect South Floridians. ... |
Wednesday, May 14, 2008 --- 66 days ago http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/dcblog/2008/05/florida_reaps_benef
 Mahoney
``There’s a lot of happy farmers, ranchers and citrus growers in Florida tonight,’’ exulted Congressman Tim Mahoney after House passage of the farm bill today.
As a member of the Agriculture Committee, Mahoney helped add several goodies to the bill designed to help growers in his rural district, which includes the fields south of Lake Okeechobee.
Provisions include:
· Creation of a Biomass Crop Assistance Program to encourage renewable energy sources, such as cellulosic ethanol made from citrus scraps.
· $1 billion for a nationwide fruit and vegetable school snack program, which would expand the market for Florida farmers.
· $20 million over 10 years for a Seniors Farmer’s Market program.
· $377 million to implement a new program to fight agricultural pests and diseases, including medfly, citrus canker and greening.
Florida farmers also could benefit from conservation programs in the farm bill, Mahoney said. ``Now we have a situation where environmentalists and farmers can work together to improve water quality.’’
If the bill is signed into law, he predicted, business will pick up in the state’s beleaguered agriculture industry, which has suffered from plant disease and competition from foreign imports.
``The Lord made that area south of Orlando the biggest biomass region in the country,’’ he said. ``We should have a huge opportunity to become a major player in that industry.’’
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