Politician Talks Energy With Farm Bureau Presidents

"The American people understand we no longer want to be dependent on other countries for the lifeblood of our economy," Rep. Putnam said.

A self-proclaimed "land grant and Farm Bureau baby" who was raised on a Florida citrus and cattle operation, Rep Putnam said he understands the disastrous effect of high energy prices on America’s farmers and ranchers.

"This is an issue that is uniquely important to rural America, where people tend to have to drive further and drive less fuel-efficient vehicles," Rep Putnam said.

He added that agriculture input costs, such as fertilizer, have skyrocketed due to the energy crisis. Additionally, he said efforts to simply create more fuel-efficient vehicles aren't enough because "you can't pull a trailer behind a (Toyota) Prius".

Instead, he supports an approach that would increase American energy production.

"It's imperative this country moves forward with a supply-side, production-oriented plan for home-grown energy," Rep Putnam said.

He supports an energy policy using a variety of energy sources, including offshore drilling, natural gas, nuclear power plants and biofuels.

"We must build on the corn-based ethanol model while moving toward cellulosic," Rep Putnam said.

While leaving no doubt that energy is his primary focus, Putnam also commented briefly on his desire to repeal the estate tax and move forward with the Colombia Free Trade Agreement.

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