Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson on March 3 hailed the Florida Legislature’s passage of the 2026 Florida Farm Bill, SB 290. According to Simpson, the bill sponsored by Sen. Keith Truenow and Rep. Danny Alvarez supports and defends Florida agriculture, strengthens public safety and protects natural resources and rural lands.
Truenow declared agriculture to be “the foundation of our economy and our way of life.” He said the bill “ensures that Florida continues to protect and support that foundation while … keeping government out of the way of hardworking Floridians.”
“When you focus on Florida, freedom and our farmers, you’re on the right path, and that’s exactly what the 2026 Farm Bill delivers,” Alvarez added.
If signed into law, the 2026 Florida Farm Bill will introduce many initiatives across the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (FDACS) range of duties. FDACS stated that the initiatives include:
- Defending Floridians’ freedom to use gasoline-powered farm and lawn care equipment. According to FDACS, that is accomplished by prohibiting counties and municipalities from banning the use of gasoline or diesel-powered farm and landscape equipment.
- Protecting natural lands from high-density development. That protection comes by prohibiting — unless unanimously approved by the local government — high-density development on lands designated as rural, conservation or greenspace in a local comprehensive plan.
- Making the Farmers Feeding Florida Program permanent. The program directs fresh, Florida agricultural products into food banks to provide additional healthy food options for those in need.
- Promoting more agricultural land to grow Florida’s domestic food supply. According to FDACS, the bill allows the state to determine if there are lands purchased since 2024 that can be surplused and put back into agricultural production to protect the domestic food supply.
- Protecting Florida’s natural resources by prohibiting the application of biosolids other than Class AA, which have been treated for the highest level of pathogen removal.
- Ensuring safety on Florida’s roads by safeguarding Floridians from unqualified truck drivers who can’t read or understand vital road and safety information. The bill makes it a crime to cheat, or help someone cheat, on the Commercial Driver License proficiency exam.
- Restoring privacy with the No-Knock Homestead Act. The bill prohibits door-to-door commercial solicitation at homes displaying “No Solicitation” signs and establishes criminal penalties for violators.
- Holding bad contractors accountable. The bill creates a suspended vendor list and administrative penalties for contractors who fail to pay their subcontractors or suppliers.
- Supporting Florida’s veterinarians. The bill establishes a loan repayment program to reimburse up to $25,000 per year for veterinarians who treat food animals and equine and who commit to working in Florida.
- Protecting first responders and the public from dangerous signal jammers. The bill makes it a crime in Florida to possess, sell, distribute or use signal-jamming devices that can block 911 calls, disrupt law enforcement communications and endanger public safety. FDACS stated that such technology is often smuggled from foreign adversaries.
Source: FDACS
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