The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agreed to requests Wednesday made by former Gov. Charlie Crist, current Gov. Rick Scott and members of the Florida congressional delegation to have more than half of the counties across the Sunshine State declared disaster areas due to the severe cold that gripped the state during November and December.

Florida’s political leaders are continuing to pressure the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), hoping that more than half of the state will be declared as a disaster area due to the inclement weather.

Gov. Charlie Crist sent a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Thursday, arguing the cold weather has so devastated Florida’s agriculture that the USDA should declare more than half of the state’s 67 counties a disaster area.

Individual members of the South Florida Agriculture Association say they are departing from the association's traditional Republican stance to back a lieutenant governor candidate they know, Democrat Rod Smith.

Gov. Charlie Crist angered his former fellow Republicans with high-profile -- and highly politicized -- vetoes of an ultrasound abortion bill and teacher performance pay.

But eight other Crist vetoes jilted businesses or agriculture, or just contradicted previously stated positions, with potentially damaging impacts to Floridians and the state's economy.

Attorney General Bill McCollum told some 500 business leaders and water experts in Orlando Friday that he has a specific plan -- in fact, a two-pronged policy initative -- for keeping groundwater flowing in Florida.

Florida's $100-billion-plus agriculture industry, second only to tourism, is one powerful economic engine. And, Saturday -- declared National Ag Day by Congress -- is a good day to remember that agriculture in the Sunshine State is a formidable employer and an even more impressive producer.