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Putnam Slams Lawmakers For Land Buying Cuts

Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam is sounding more like a gubernatorial candidate as he takes a swipe at the Legislature's $82.4 billion spending proposal.
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, considered the GOP frontrunner in next year’s governor’s race, is slamming the Legislature’s $82.4 billion spending plan.

Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam is sounding more like a gubernatorial candidate as he takes a swipe at the Legislature's $82.4 billion spending proposal.
Credit Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Putnam is blasting a proposal to zero-out funding for Florida Forever, the iconic land conservation program.

Money for a sister program, Rural and Family Lands, would also slow to a trickle.    

“I never in a million years dreamed that the only land conservation program in the state of Florida would be coming out of the Department of Ag and nothing for Florida Forever. I’m shocked by that.”

Republican Senator Jack Latvala of Clearwater, a potential gubernatorial candidate, is also critical of the spending plan.

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Jim Ash is a reporter at WFSU-FM. A Miami native, he is an award-winning journalist with more than 20 years of experience, most of it in print. He has been a member of the Florida Capital Press Corps since 1992.