Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam (Pic via Facebook) Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam told state citrus industry leaders Monday that Florida GOP elected officials should be credited for not passing the “mistaken” state immigration laws now in place in Georgia and Alabama. The Ledger reports that Putnam spoke at the 78th annual meeting of Citrus World Inc
“„“Thank God for Georgia and Alabama because they’ve given us examples of real-world consequences of these mistaken policies,” he said. “Because of the work done last year, I think this issue is taking a back seat in the Legislature, and I do not anticipate it taking such a large role next year.”
“„The arguments that alternatives such as unemployed U.S. workers or prison labor will make up for the loss of immigrant harvest workers has not come to pass in those states, Putnam added.
“„I tried to get an [immigration] bill passed last year. It got through the Senate. It didn’t make it through the House. It will happen this session.