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Popular Agriculture Bills
HB 0203 Agricultural Lands
SB 1628 Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
SB 1106 Agritourism
HB 7087 Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
SB 1190 Agricultural Lands
HB 0927 Agritourism
SB 1040 Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
SB 0654 Agricultural Storage and Shipping Containers
SB 1700 Agricultural Lands
HCAS1 Medicaid
Agriculture Bills On The Move
SB 0654 Agricultural Storage and Shipping Containers
SENATE Read Second Time; Substituted for HB 1393; Laid on Table, Refer to HB 1393
SB 1728 Genetically Engineered Foods
SENATE Died in Agriculture
SB 1708 Labeling of Beef
SENATE Died in Agriculture
SB 1706 Pink Slime in Meat Products
SENATE Died in Agriculture
SB 1700 Agricultural Lands
SENATE Enrolled Text (ER) Filed
HB 0051 Preparation and Sale of Food Products
HOUSE Withdrawn prior to introduction
SB 1190 Agricultural Lands
SENATE Read Second Time; Substituted for HB 0203; Laid on Table, Refer to HB 0203
HB 0417 Commercial Breeding of Animals
HOUSE Died in Business & Professional Regulation Subcommittee
HB 0631 Transactions in Fresh Produce Markets
HOUSE Read Second Time; Substituted for SB 0778; Laid on Table, Refer to SB 0778
BPRS1 Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
HOUSE Committee Bill filed as H 7023

Agriculture

Governor vetoes $50 million for proposed bike trail along with $27.3 million in water projects

 
by Bruce Ritchie - 1 day ago - +
When deciding whether to approve or reject a spending item, Scott said his criteria was whether it helps families get jobs, improves the education system or makes government more eficient.

2013 Session Summary: Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture

by LobbyTools - 1 week ago - +
Cat colonies and coal ash, fracking and fertilizer. The 2013 legislative session was surprisingly active on the environmental front with old battles being waged and new issues emerging. Some issues will still be fought out in the weeks ahead as groups seek vetoes of bills that were passed. But compromise reigned on other issues as old adversaries united in the end to advance legislation.

Senate, House agree on permitting legislation despite groups' sustained opposition

by Bruce Ritchie - 2 weeks ago - +
Photographers on the House floor gather and focus on Rep. Jimmy Patronis, R-Panama City, as he explains the Senate action on his HB 999 permitting bill before the House voted to concur. Disparaged by environmentalists even though "the worst sect
The Florida Chamber of Commerce says HB 999 is among the bills that will make Florida more competitive economically. But environmentalists still didn't like it after getting fertilizer and wetlands language removed. "It's still a collection of bad ideas," said Eric Draper, executive director of Audubon Florida.

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by LobbyTools - 2 weeks ago - +
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Week in Review for April 26

by Florida Current Staff - 3 weeks ago - +
This week we learned that House Speaker Will Weatherford says if state employee pension changes aren't approved this year, they will come back again, and that Gov. Rick Scott is on the lookout for lawmakers' special projects as he advocates for his priorities.

House, Senate still apart on most key environmental spending issues but agree on tank site cleanups

by Bruce Ritchie - 4 weeks ago - +
Citrus trees infected with citrus greeting disease await burning. The disease has resulted in a loss or abandonment of 25 million trees, according to Florida Citrus Mutual. File photo from U.S. Department of Agriculture. After a Saturday afternoon conference committee meeting, the Senate and House remain apart on conservation land-buying, Everglades cleanup and restoration and payments to farmers who agree to conserve their lands.

Senate amends ethanol bill to match House bill's repealing requirement

by Bruce Ritchie - 5 weeks ago - +
Critics of SB 320 and HB 4001, which would repeal a state requirement that gasoline contain ethanol, point to the availability of gasoline not containing ethanol as a reason for not passing the legislation. Photo by Bruce Ritchie. A 2008 energy law required gasoline sold in Florida to contain about 10 percent ethanol with a variety of exemptions, including for fuels sold for boats, small motors and collector vehicles.

Permitting bill approved at final committee stop despite continued environmental opposition

by Bruce Ritchie - 5 weeks ago - +
HB 999 covers a wide variety of permitting issues. An amendment to ban new fertilizer ordinances beyond the state model ordinance was withdrawn while another amendment ratifying Everglades farming leases was approved.

Bill repealing ethanol requirement clears House; differences remain with Senate version

by Bruce Ritchie - 5 weeks ago - +
Rep. Debbie Mayfield, right, argues against HB 4001 repealing the state's ethanol requirement in gasoline while Rep. Matt Gaetz, standing at left, listens. Photo by Bruce Ritchie. HB 4001 passed 77-39 largely along party lines with a few exceptions. The bill squeaked through its only two committee stops with votes of 7-6 and 10-8 despite opposition from ethanol companies that said the legislation would send a bad message to investors.

Gov. Rick Scott signs bill banning Internet sweepstakes cafes

by Gray Rohrer - 5 weeks ago - +
Gov. Rick Scott discusses the Internet cafe legislation with reporters in the Capitol rotunda, shortly after he signed the measure (HB 155) into law. Photo by Bill Cotterell. The storefront video gaming centers are now outlawed in the state of Florida. The governor said the Legislature "did the right thing" by banning the stores as illegal gambling, but made it clear he doesn't want to dwell on the legislation. He wants lawmakers to get back to his main priorities of teacher raises and a tax break for manufacturers.

Ag budget proposals respond to citrus industry call for fight against greening disease

by Bruce Ritchie - 6 weeks ago - +
About one-fourth of Florida's citrus acreage has been lost since 1997, and Florida Citrus Mutual says the industry is in "big trouble."

Amended House bill would establish practices to benefit wildlife while safeguarding landowners

by Bruce Ritchie - 6 weeks ago - +
Burrowing owls are among the 16 species affected by HB 7087, which would protect agricultural landowners from running afoul of the law for incidental harm to protected wildlife species. File photo by Ron Knight. Audubon Florida joins Plum Creek timber company and the Florida Land Council in supporting expansion of "best management" practices to help wildlife. A House bill was amended Wednesday and an identical amendment is proposed for the Senate companion to be considered in a subcommittee on Thursday.

Agricultural water bill wins support from former environmental opponents

by Bruce Ritchie - 2 months ago - +
Sen. Denise Grimsley was credited with bringing the opposing sides together to resolve their differences over her water supply planning bill. File photo by Ana Goni-Lessan. Environmental groups had urged opposition to SB 948, saying it would place a priority on agricultural water use over the environment during droughts. But after a series of amendments was adopted in a committee on Monday, environmental groups have lined up in support of the bill.

'Cat colony' bill delayed amid sharp divisions between groups, concern from landowners

by Bruce Ritchie - 2 months ago - +
SB 1320 provides that the capture and release of cats as part of a program to vaccinate and sterilize animals is not an illegal release of the animals under state law. Supporters say the bill will help reduce the overpopulation of stray cats but opponents say it could lead to more dumping of animals that prey on wildlife and cause problems for landowners.

The Week in Review for March 29

by Florida Current Staff - 2 months ago - +

'Backlash' bill against LEED green-building certification program moving in House

by Bruce Ritchie - 2 months ago - +

Everglades compromise hailed, passes Senate committee

by Bruce Ritchie - 2 months ago - +

Deal with feds on water quality rules wins quick approval from House committee

by Bruce Ritchie - 2 months ago - +

New poll shows Gov. Scott trailing ex-Gov. Crist

by Bill Cotterell - 2 months ago - +

The Week Ahead for March 18 to March 22

by Florida Current Staff - 2 months ago - +
2013 Session Summaries

Budget & Taxes

Economic Development

Education

Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture

Ethics and Elections

Gaming

Health Care

Insurance

Law Enforcement and Justice

Real Estate and Growth Management

State and Local Administration

Utilities and Energy

Popular Agriculture News
Legislators In The News
Sen Don Gaetz (D)
Sen Don Gaetz (D)
(R Niceville)
Sen Nancy Detert
Sen Nancy Detert
(R Venice)
Sen Jack Latvala
Sen Jack Latvala
(R St. Petersburg)
Rep Will W. Weatherford
Rep Will W. Weatherford
(R Wesley Chapel)
Rep Ritch Workman
Rep Ritch Workman
(R Melbourne)
Sen Joe Negron
Sen Joe Negron
(R Palm City)
Rep Ben Albritton
Rep Ben Albritton
(R Wauchula)
Rep Jim Boyd
Rep Jim Boyd
(R Bradenton)
Rep Kathleen C. Passidomo
Rep Kathleen C. Passidomo
(R Naples)
Rep Bill Hager
Rep Bill Hager
(R Delray Beach)