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Growers Want Veto of Proposed Citrus Code Changes

Lakeland Ledger – May 11, 2011

LAKELAND | Many of Florida’s top citrus organizations agreed to press Gov. Rick Scott to veto major changes in the state Citrus Code state Sen. J.D. Alexander pushed through in the final days of the Legislature last week.

“It seems like a Nancy Pelosi kind of bill — pass it now and ask questions later,” Stan Carter, an Okeechobee grower and member of the Florida Citrus Commission, told Alexander today at a meeting of the Florida Citrus Mutual board of directors.

Carter and other growers at the meeting criticized Alexander for acting alone and passing the bill that made major changes to the Florida Department of Citrus and its governing body, the Citrus Commission, without vetting it with grower and other citrus organizations affected by the law.

Alexander remained unrepentant and defiant, telling about several dozen top Florida citrus people at the meeting he had a personal commitment from Scott not to veto the bill.

“If you want to try, go ahead. I’ll just come back with more,” Alexander said. “I am willing to come at odds with my fellow citrus growers.”

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