Senator Smith is currently the Florida Senate Agriculture Committee Chair, and “grew up raising cattle.” Sam Ard, the Director of Governmental Affairs for the Florida Cattlemen’s Association, describes Senator Smith as “one of their own; once a cowboy, always a cowboy.”
During the 2005 Legislative Session, Senator Smith successfully passed legislation which grants relief from sales tax on power equipment used exclusively in cattle and other agricultural production. Senator Smith recently stated “With our Cattlemen's commitment to producing the finest beef in the world, it is imperative that we afford them the opportunity to reinvest that savings back into production. We can never underestimate or take for granted the industry's importance to our State."
To read a recent press release regarding Senator Smith and the Florida Cattlemen’s Association, CLICK HERE.
The last thing Florida animals need is a governor controlled by the Florida Cattlemen’s Association. The other democrat running against Rod Smith is Jim Davis who is equally anti-animal (note that Scott Maddux dropped out of the race).
At this time the best gubernatorial candidate for animals is on the Republican side--Charlie Crist, who has a history of supporting environmental issues.