With a main goal of protecting and promoting Florida agriculture, Republican candidate Baxter Troutman pledges to use his post as Commissioner of Agriculture to underscore the importance of Florida agriculture to the rest of the nation – stating that the Sunshine State’s $120 billion industry is well worth fighting for.
We certainly can’t argue with that, which is why the Community Newspapers is stepping forth to endorse Troutman, a former Winter Haven state representative, as the best Republican choice in the run to replace term-limited Ag Commissioner Adam Putnam, who is running for Governor.
Troutman, an heir to the Ben Hill Griffin Jr. citrus empire, would serve the state well as the chief executive of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. As commissioner, he would hold a cabinet seat with the governor, attorney general, and chief financial officer.
Troutman grew up in Frostproof, Fla., in an ag family. Involved in growing citrus for the last 30 years, at age 21 he purchased his first citrus grove. Today, he and his wife own a 5,000 acre, 1,000-head beef cattle operation located in Highlands County.
He also served as the first president of the Florida AgriTourism Association board of directors and was a former board member of Farm Credit of Florida, Alico and Polk County Farm Bureau.
While a state representative, Troutman was vice chair of the Committee on Environmental Protection, Environment & Natural Resources Council and Chaired the General Government Council.
We also very much like the fact that, despite his eight years in the State House, his seven year time-out from public office shows he’s not a career politician.
Troutman is married to Becky Troutman, a former teacher with a graduate degree in school psychology and have one daughter.
On the issues, and specifically regarding Florida’s most precious natural resource – water – Troutman believes water quality and supply issues are among the most important topics facing Floridians. As a lifelong farmer and rancher, he has implemented Best Management Practices (BMPs) and other conservation methods at his ranch in order to conserve water and take care of his land.
A self-proclaimed champion for Second Amendment rights, Troutman say that as Commissioner of Agriculture, he will defend Floridians’ right to bear arms against attacks from “the Left and the liberal media” – which many Republican voters in this state believe to be a very important stand.
As a life member of the National Rifle Association and a staunch defender of the Second Amendment, he believes the right to defend oneself is fundamental to the Constitutional Right to Bear Arms.
With the Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services serving as administrator of Florida’s concealed weapons permitting program, he says he will do all in his power to ensure that the public’s trust in the program is strong. Troutman further believes it is important to responsibly evaluate ways to streamline bureaucracy while ensuring all applicable laws are faithfully followed.
With regard to land availability, Troutman feels that a balance must be found between conserving rural, agricultural lands and meeting the continued development needs of a growing and dynamic state. Ranches, farms, and other low-density land uses are an important part of Florida’s past, present, and future. As a lifelong farmer, he recognizes the value in preserving these treasured lands.
On the issue of citrus greening, Troutman says he is the only candidate in this race with real-world experience dealing with the threat of citrus greening, a horrible plant disease that has caused incredible damage to Florida’s agriculture industry. As Commissioner of Agriculture, he will stay laser-focused on tackling greening and the other diseases plaguing Florida’s agriculture industry.
Troutman also believes trade deals such as NAFTA have hurt Florida’s farmers and ranchers because Florida’s market has been flooded with cheap and often inferior produce – hurting homegrown producers’ ability to effectively market products at a reasonable price.
Furthermore, Troutman supports free markets and is opposed to tariffs, and wants to a streamline regulation, invest in research and marketing, and support growth of logistics opportunities for state products by prioritizing infrastructure and ports modernization. By doing all of these things, he believes Florida’s second-biggest economic driver can continue to feed the state, country, and world.
Troutman is certainly well qualified for this important post – and the Community Newspapers heartily endorses him in his run for Commissioner of Agriculture this fall.
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