Members of Florida’s independent, family-owned sugarcane and vegetable farmers are speaking out following political attacks made by environmental activist groups and politicians like Congressman Brian Mast (R-FL).
Florida Sugarcane Farmers represents hundreds of sugar cane farmers in the state of Florida. This consists of 12,500 sugar industry employees and their families and the local farming communities.
"Our nation currently finds itself in the midst of a supply chain and inflation crisis, and unfortunately, well-funded ‘environmental’ activists and Congressman Brian Mast are attacking hardworking Florida farmers who help feed our country," said Ardis Hammock, owner and operator of Frierson Farms in Moore Haven. "These attacks threaten to further outsource our domestic food supply and increase our reliance on foreign countries for food."
Another farmer, Camber Pope, is calling upon certain activists to stop, "attacks," on American farmers. "Glades farmers are among the most sustainable and reliable producers of safe, locally-grown produce in the entire world," said Pope. "These baseless attempts to cast farmers as villains are an insult to the generations of my family that have proudly farmed this land in the Glades communities we call home."
Pope then called out Congressman Mast by name, stating, "Congressman Mast has never visited our farms or made any attempts to learn more about us," Pope elaborated, "Instead, he makes senseless attacks, which are not productive and will only lead to more division and food insecurity in this country."
Representative Brian Mast, who represents a very environmentally active congressional district, prides himself in advocating for Everglades restoration and environmentally friendly policies in Washington. Mast just recently authored a bill that, "will require the first-ever federal assessment and action plan to combat harmful algal blooms in Florida."
