Putnam Wastes $437,000 of Taxpayer Money on Failed Battle with Family Farm

Putnam Ordered to Pay for Regulatory Overreach

 This week, Florida taxpayers learned they will be footing another $437,000 bill for Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam’s failed legal battle against a small third-generation family dairy farm. 

When Putnam became Agriculture Commissioner, he began a crackdown on skim milk labeling and told the Ocheesee Creamery it had to call its all-natural milk “imitation milk” because it didn’t contain additives like the bigger brands. When the farm took the state to court, Putnam dragged out the process for five years, blocking the farm from selling their skim milk, previously a third of their business.

Earlier this year, the courts ruled in favor of the all-natural Ocheesee Creamery. And now, Putnam has been ordered to pay for the Creamery’s legal fees as they took him to task for his stunning regulatory overreach. 

“After five years, what does Adam Putnam have to show for his ridiculous overregulation? A huge legal bill and angry farmers,” said DGA Communications Director Jared Leopold. “Taxpayers should question Putnam’s judgment for wasting their resources in such a petty crusade against a family-owned business. Florida deserves better than having to foot the bill for Putnam’s bureaucratic overreach.”