Farmers push back after Charlie Crist proposes land purchase as Governor

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Florida’s farmers are rebuking a plan floated by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist to buy up farmland should he become Florida’s next Governor.

Crist threw out the proposal during the lone Democratic Primary debate ahead of the Aug. 23 election, as part of a discussion about Florida’s environment and ecosystem.

“We are the state most susceptible to rising sea levels,” Crist said. “I tried, when I was Governor the first time, to buy as much sugar land as I could to restore the natural flow south of the water through the Everglades, through Lake Okeechobee into Florida Bay. That’s what we need to do.

“And that’s what I’ll reignite when I get back to be Governor again. The only reason we couldn’t finish it was the Great Recession, so the funds cut back. But instead, I used them to save teachers’ jobs. It’s having common sense and doing the right thing.”

But Gene Adams, Chair of the Florida Ag Coalition, pushed back against that proposal, arguing lands in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) are not for sale.

“Every acre of farmland lost from active production takes safe, sustainable and locally grown food out of the mouths of millions of American families. To my knowledge, farmland in the EAA is not for sale, and Florida farmers plan to continue growing the food crops, including fresh fruits and vegetables that up to 180 million Americans depend on every year,” Adams said.

“While Congressman Crist was stuck in Washington gridlock in 2017, Florida farmers worked with a bipartisan group of Florida legislators to protect farmland while moving Everglades restoration forward. Fortunately, the land needed for restoration projects in the EAA has already been purchased and construction has already started for the majority of those projects.”

As state lawmakers discussed water policy issues in 2017, several farmers and landowners sent a letter to then-Senate President Joe Negron stating that those who own EAA land south of Lake Okeechobee “are not willing sellers of our property to the government.”

“Over the last two decades, farmers south of Lake Okeechobee have lost more than 120,000 acres of productive farmland to the government and the undersigned landowners are not willing sellers of any more,” the letter continued.

“Instead, EAA farmers will continue to advocate for plans that will show real results for Florida’s environment.”

That letter was signed by U.S. Sugar, Florida Crystals Corporation, Hundley Farms, Roth Farms, Wedgworth Farms and several other farmers and landowners. Adams’ statement appears to show that position is unchanged since 2017.

Crist made the remarks Thursday while debating with Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried. The two are leading contenders to secure the Democratic nomination, though Crist has topped Fried in both polling and fundraising numbers.