Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam today announced that Clay Hollis will serve as the Director of External Affairs and Andrew Liebert will serve as Deputy Legislative Affairs Director for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
“Clay and Andrew are both great additions to our team and their professional experience will make them tremendous assets as we fulfill our mission and serve Floridians,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam.
Hollis served in Congressman Tom Rooney’s office since 2012, and he was promoted to senior legislative assistant in 2014 where he focused on agriculture, transportation and energy policy. In 2011, Hollis interned for House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and later in the Highways and Transit Subcommittee of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Hollis graduated from Southern Methodist University with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Liebert served as a legislative aide in the Florida House for the past four legislative sessions, most recently for Rep. Ben Albritton, chairman of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee. Liebert has worked in the legislative process since graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Central Florida, and he is currently working toward a master’s degree from Florida State University.
For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FreshFromFlorida.com.
Commissioner Adam Putnam
Commissioner Adam H. Putnam Available in Florida City to Discuss Screwworm
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam will be in Florida City, Fla. on Thursday morning to visit the incident response center that is conducting expanded surveillance and response related to the recent New World screwworm detection in Homestead. He will be available to media to discuss the screwworm eradication program in Florida.
Event: Media availability with Commissioner Adam H. Putnam
Date: Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017
Time: 10 a.m.
Location: Home 2 Suites
77 NE 3rd St.
Florida City, Fla. 33034
Please note that the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will be arranging an event for media to witness the sterile fly release, and details will be forthcoming.
For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FreshFromFlorida.com or call 1-800-HELP-FLA.
Statement by Commissioner Adam Putnam on Today’s Updated Citrus Crop Forecast
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam released the following statement today after the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its updated citrus crop forecast for the 2016-2017 season:
“Because of citrus greening, production of our state’s signature crop is down 70 percent from 20 years ago. The future of Florida citrus, and the tens of thousands of jobs it supports, depends on a long-term solution in the fight against greening. Our brightest minds are working to find a solution, but until then, we must support our growers and provide them every tool available to combat this devastating disease.”
The USDA’s forecast today of 71 million boxes of oranges for the 2016-2017 season is down more than 12 percent from the 81.5 million boxes harvested last season. Today’s forecast represents a decline of more than 70 percent since the peak of citrus production at 244 million boxes during the 1997-98 season.
In support of Florida’s growers and industry groups seeking approval from the EPA for the use of certain antimicrobial treatments to combat greening, Commissioner Putnam issued a crisis declaration in 2016 regarding their Section 18 application to the Environmental Protection Agency, which allowed the immediate use of these treatments.
Commissioner Putnam has requested more than $17 million in state funding to continue critical research and support Florida’s citrus industry.
For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FreshFromFlorida.com.
Commissioner Putnam Provides Tips for New Gym Memberships
Many Floridians want to kick-off healthier habits in the new year with memberships to health studios. Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam today provided tips to educate consumers on what to look for when signing a new membership.
“January is an extremely popular time for consumers to join gyms, and I encourage Floridians to do their homework to ensure they get the most out of their memberships,” said Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam.
Commissioner Putnam urges consumers to consider the following before signing a membership:
- Search the “Business/Complaint Lookup” at FreshFromFlorida.com or call 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) to check if complaints were filed about the studio and how they were resolved.
- Don’t join the first time you visit. Use the gym first to make sure it meets your needs, then take the contract home and read it thoroughly before signing. Be sure to ask for clarification if you don’t understand something.
- It’s a good rule of thumb to avoid long contracts. Shop around to make sure you know what’s included in the membership.
- Service fees, such as registration fees, processing or start-up fees, may be required. However, it must be considered a “reasonable and fair service fee,” meaning no more than 10 percent of the contract price.
- Use a credit card, debit card or check to pay each month. Setting up an automatic withdrawal from checking accounts may result in problems if there is ever a dispute.
- The contract should include a provision for penalty-free cancellation in writing within three days, exclusive of holidays and weekends, of signing a contract.
Under Florida’s Health Studio Act, health studios are required to register with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and to provide a bond or other financial security to protect consumers’ funds if the gym expectantly moves or closes. Additionally, if a gym closes or moves its facilities more than five miles away, it must provide access to an alternate facility of equal quality within five miles of its original location at no additional cost.
For additional information on the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, to verify a health studio’s registration status or to file a complaint, contact the department at 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352), 1-800-FL-AYUDA (352-9832) for Spanish speakers, or visit FreshFromFlorida.com.
