Florida's struggling citrus industry gets no love in disaster relief bill
Congress proved it’s not completely dysfunctional last week when lawmakers passed a $36.5 billion disaster relief package that will help Florida recover from Hurricane Irma.
But the legislation was “bittersweet” for U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney (R), who has been waging an aggressive campaign to help Florida’s agriculture industry receive disaster assistance.
The agriculture relief money did not make it into the final bill. It still has a chance of making it into future aid legislation. But Rooney, an Okeechobee Republican whose district includes southern Sarasota County, worries those bills will be more difficult to pass.
“People sort of grow disaster weary,” he said.
Rooney’s District 17 includes a vast swath of Florida’s heartland, including much of the state’s orange growing regions. The growers were hit hard by Irma. High winds caused extensive fruit drop.
Read more: http://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20171028/floridas-struggling-citrus-industry-gets-no-love-in-disaster-relief-bill
