ORLANDO, FL – April 4, 2016 – On March 31, 2016, GrayRobinson’s Orlando office hosted a Community Leader Forum featuring Adam Putnam, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture. His presentation discussed the future of Florida’s agriculture industry.
Putnam stressed the importance of water in Florida, stating it must be our focus because between now and 2030 Florida will face a one billion gallon water shortage. He plans to invest in water as infrastructure just like we invest in our roadways as infrastructure. Putnam discussed devising a regional plan that would bring local communities together on this issue. He also wants to preserve the citrus and fishing industries in Florida to maintain those important industries that are part of the state’s history.
Putnam sees the need to attract people to Florida before retirement as he said the most dangerous thing in policy and politics is a short memory. To demonstrate the relative newness of Florida residents, he shared that 40% of the customers of the largest utility company in Florida did not live here ten years ago when the hurricanes hit the state. When you wait to live in Florida at retirement age, you have a different perspective on policy and politics. You are not as worried about the quality of k-12 schools or whether or not there will be sufficient water in the state. You worried about those issues already in the state you lived in before retirement. He believes that if people come to Florida to go to college, they will stay to build and grow their families and businesses. He also discussed our education system in Florida, aiming to improve the K-12 education which in turn fuels the state’s universities, and would improve all of the schools collectively.
Putnam is currently serving his second term as Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture. In this role he oversees the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and serves as a member of Florida’s Cabinet. Previously, Commissioner Putnam served five terms as Congressman for Florida’s 12th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. While in Congress, Commissioner Putnam was elected by his peers to serve as the Republican Policy chair during the 109th Congress and chair of the House Republican Conference for the 110th Congress. Commissioner Putnam also served as a member of the House Committees on Government Reform, Agriculture, Rules and Financial Services. Before he was elected to Congress, Commissioner Putnam served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1996 to 2000. He graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in food and resource economics.
Through its Community Leader Forums, GrayRobinson brings together clients, attorneys and friends of the firm to hear high-profile business and community leaders and elected officials discuss issues of importance to the state of Florida.
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