Florida Farm Bureau to Congress: Time for Action on Energy

Now is the time for Congress to pass comprehensive energy legislation that will encourage creation of a more diverse domestic energy supply. As Congress returned to Washington this week, Florida Farm Bureau Federation was pressing for a plan that will address all aspects of the nation¹s energy needs.

"Farmers and ranchers in Florida and consumers across the nation are being beaten up financially by high energy costs," said Florida Farm Bureau President John L. Hoblick. "Row crop producers are harvesting, the citrus industry is preparing to pick and our vegetable producers are looking toward the winter growing season. It is a critical time for our producers as they face escalating gasoline and diesel prices and fertilizer costs that have doubled in only two years and have been exacerbated by hurricanes. America is looking to Congress for leadership."

Hoblick said consumers can expect higher costs due to increased shipping costs, and members of Congress can expect to hear from the public as well as from agricultural producers.

"What is needed," Hoblick said, "is for Congress to develop a bipartisan, comprehensive national energy policy that focuses on energy independence while diversifying the sources of the nation¹s energy supply.² Strategies, he said, should include tapping domestic oil and natural gas supplies as well as concentrating on development of renewable energy sources including ethanol, biodiesel, biomass, wind and solar.

Congressional action now will help assure consumers that fuel prices will not whip-saw in the future while stabilizing costs agricultural producers pay to plant, fertilize and ship their products. Florida, as the nation's winter salad bowl and a major tourist destination, is especially vulnerable to increased energy costs.

The Florida Farm Bureau Federation is the state¹s largest general-interest agricultural association with about 140,000 member-families statewide. Headquartered in Gainesville, the Federation is an independent, nonprofit agricultural organization. More information about Florida Farm Bureau is available on the organization¹s website, http://FloridaFarmBureau.org.