Thursday, August 12, 2010

Something Stinks in the FL Comm of Ag Race

Up until now I've been focusing a lot on FL's 2nd Congressional race, but being a Wonk means following all the races...so I have google alerts set up on the different statewide candidates.

Yesterday an interesting endorsement came up for Congressman Adam Putnam who is running for Agriculture Commissioner. The Florida Feedstock Growers Association endorsed him - here is the first paragraph from their announcement:

"Today, at the Florida Feedstock Growers Association’s (FFGA) Inaugural Meeting, held prior to the Fifth Annual Farm to Fuel Summit, the organization announced its official endorsement of Adam Putnam for Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services. FFGA is a group of veteran farmers who provide education and real-world experience to farmers and landowners about the principles and practices of growing renewable crops and their respective revenue streams and incentive programs."

It was the "inaugural meeting" that caught my attention. It is the first time these 'farmers' are getting together and they are already endorsing candidates?  So I started digging...

My first google search was for their organization and the only thing that came up was this linkedin link: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/steven-webster/16/5ba/baafor Steven Webster who is listed as FFGA President. Mr. Webster is a Tallahassee Consultant with MW Consulting (he is the W of the MW) whose website is http://www.mwconsult.us/ and whose company slogan is "Our mission is to help our clients achieve profitability quickly and consistently". Nice!

So I start to explore MW Consulting further. They are a lobbying firm that specializes in having the state and federal government provide grant money to whomever hires them - currently they are bragging on their home page that "Mathews Wins $9 Million in Florida Grants for Agri-Source Fuels" (Mathews is the M in the MW). Hmmmm, think they might care about who ends up as the next Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner?

Also on their website I found this paragraph on FFGA:

"MW Consulting has filed the papers to launch the Florida Feedstock Growers Association. South Florida farmer Bill Vasden (http://www.uscjo.com/) is founding chair; farmer John Paul of Two Cars Citrus is vice chair. MW President Steven Webster is president and registered agent, while MW CEO Peggy Mathews is secretary-treasurer of the new association."

So of their four founding members, who Congressman Putnam's press release today called "a group of veteran farmers" only two have anything to do with farming!  The other two are lobbyists for agribusiness. MW Consulting’s Bio Page for Mathews and Webster has nothing about farming.

This doesn't pass the smell test. This appears to be big business lobbyists who make a living off the taxpayers working to grease the wheels of the candidate they think is going to win and give them more money. These lobbyists got smart and created a group with a fancy name and are getting free press for their candidate off of it.

Do you know what Feedstock is? It's raw materials like crude oil or iron ore, or in this example biomass. These aren't working farmers at all.

This just stinks.

6 comments:

  1. Agreed. Thanks Lisa for bringing light to Congressman Putnam's shady tactics!

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  2. So glad that you are onto the opportunists and their corruption; this is "business as usual" in Tallahassee.
    The entire "biomess business" is rife with sham companies dreamed up for the express purpose of scarfing up Floridians' tax money from grants and subsidies.
    Chances are these same lobbyists are also groveling for Putnam's opponent... just in case, you know.
    Burning biomass is neither clean, nor green. Statewide group opposing biomass burning: FloridiansAgainstIncineratorsInDisguise@yahoogroups.com
    National group opposing biomass burning: EnergyJustice.net

    Thanks for your great snooping and exposing this biomess boondoggle.

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  3. Posted your blog on this subject to a list serve and a friend replied:

    Peggy Mathews has also been (or currently still is) a lobbyist for the PWC or jet ski industry, and marine manufacturers. I caught her at a Boating Advisory Council meeting one time where she made a false statement on purpose, to encourage her fellow members to vote a certain way. I pointed this out publicly, and the BAC eventually voted down the motion. Lies and deceit!

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  4. Everyone should vote for Scott Maddox for Commissioner of Agriculture - Congressman Putnam is all about the special interests, instead of the consumers. Scott Maddox will fight for the people of Florida.

    http://www.scottmaddox.com

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  5. Well, I was planning on voting for him....but I'm not so sure he's on the right side on the biomass issue. I posted this blog on Maddox's facebook page, and it's disappeared; it's been taken off. I wrote to him and asked him about his views on biomass, and he hasn't bothered to answer.

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  6. Interesting, since this blog is posted on his facebook page... its been posted by Melissa and Joy... so I don't know why you think it has been removed.

    Moreover, you can always email his campaign at info@scottmaddox.com and I am sure someone from his staff will get back with you. I have in the past and I have gotten a response within a couple of days.

    Scott Maddox has taken the majority of his contributions from INDIVIDUALS, and not from special interests or businesses. Can't say the same about Congressman Putnam.

    If you want someone to defend our environment and the consumers of Florida, Scott Maddox is your only choice in this race come November. He has my vote and support.

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