When it comes to earmarks, one man's pig stink is another man's bacon. No kidding. ...more

March 8, 2009

The organizers of the steer show at the Pasco County Fair approached this year's event with a little trepidation. ...more

February 21, 2009

On the north steps of Polk County's historic courthouse in Bartow, U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam officially announced today that he is running for Florida's commissioner of agriculture. ...more

February 18, 2009

U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, who quickly rose to power in Congress after being elected as a 26-year-old, said Sunday he will run for Florida agriculture commissioner. ...more

February 2, 2009

U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, who quickly rose to power in Congress after being elected as a 26-year-old, said Sunday that he will give up his seat and run for Florida agriculture commissioner. ...more

February 2, 2009

Lifting the country out of its economic woes won't be easy or quick, but it can be done with bipartisan cooperation in Washington, Congressman-elect Tom Rooney said as he visited the Highlands County commissioners meeting Tuesday morning. ...more

December 17, 2008

Before Congressman Tim Mahoney lost his Nov. 4 re-election race, he was working on grants, earmarks and other projects in Highlands County. ...more

November 16, 2008

Following the Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) announcement that tomatoes were not the likely source of a recent salmonella outbreak, Congressman Tim Mahoney, D. FLA, has introduced a bill, H.R. 6581, to compensate tomato growers and packers nationwide for their losses due to the salmonella scare, which according to the Florida Tomato Exchange's estimates could be close to $100 million. ...more

July 27, 2008

Highlands Today recently did a story that citrus producer Mason Smoak had testified before the House Agriculture Committee in Congress that,"We want legal workers." I can agree that citrus growers need workers to get their fruit picked, but not at the expense of having millions of illegals from Mexico unlawfully entering the United States. Mr. Smoak said he "is proud of the salaries he pays his employees" of $10 an hour, when the federal wage rate is $5.85? ...more

October 11, 2007

WASHINGTON — Mason Smoak, a citrus producer and cattle rancher from Lake Placid, testified before Congress on Thursday about the labor needs of the American agriculture industry. The House Agriculture Committee convened a hearing, requested by U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney, D-Palm Beach Gardens, to examine the issues of worker verification, hiring and retaining agriculture laborers, and the implications of current federal regulations. ...more

October 6, 2007