Florida Ag Commissioner Adam Putnam keynote speaker at Cattlemen's Banquet

Adam Putnam, Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services, will be the keynote speaker at the Alachua Lions Club 72nd Cattlemen’s Banquet.  Putnam will be joined by Charles “Chuck” Clemons, Sr., Vice President for Development at Santa Fe College, who will be the Master of Ceremonies. Florida Senator Steve Oelrich will introduce Commissioner Putnam. Commissioner Putnam was elected on Nov. 2, 2010, and sworn in on Jan. 4, 2011. He also serves as a member of Florida’s Cabinet, alongside Governor Rick Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater.

Putnam served five terms as Congressman for Florida’s 12^th district in the U.S. House of Representatives. While in Congress, he was elected by his colleagues to be Chairman of the House Republican Conference, the highest elected leadership position any Floridian of either party has held in Washington. Putnam also served as a member of the House Committees on Government Reform, Rules, Agriculture and Financial Services.

Throughout his Congressional career, Putnam was recognized as a leader on a variety of issues, most notably agriculture, food safety, childhood nutrition, energy and government efficiency. Before serving in Congress, Putnam was elected to the Florida House of Representatives. He became Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, leading on the many issues facing Florida's dynamic agriculture industry, including property rights, water and the Everglades.

The Cattlemen’s Banquet is the oldest continuous Lions fundraiser in Florida and is known for its high profile speakers such as former President Jimmy Carter and a number of Florida’s governors.

The banquet will take place on Thursday, March 24 at 7 p.m. at the Alachua Woman’s Club in downtown Alachua.  Tickets for the banquet, which includes a steak dinner, are $30 and can be purchased by contacting Gunter Hirsch at 386-462-3702 or 352-538-9709. RSVPs are requested by March 15.