Agriculture Committee Postpones Talks on Immigration

Citing the lack of a clear bill before the Senate Agriculture Committee, the committee's chair, Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, cancelled a discussion Tuesday on how immigration affects the agriculture industry.

"It's my position in talking to (Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island) that any bill dealing with immigration should come through our committee. That's why I wanted to make sure we didn't discuss it right now in the open and it has no germanity," Siplin said.

A separate meeting on immigration was held Monday, where the issue of unauthorized workers and their effect on Florida's agriculture industry did come up.

Sen. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa, wanted to make sure any study of the social costs of illegal immigration in Florida included its impact on the agriculture industry.

Although several bills have been filed in both the House and Senate, including one by Siplin, no specific bill has come before a committee.