(The Center Square) – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed on Thursday what lawmakers say could be the most expansive farm bill in the state’s history.

DeSantis said Florida’s agriculture sector accounts for $11 billion in the state’s gross domestic product, with 140,000 related jobs, 45,000 farms and ranches on 10 million acres of farmland. 

“In Florida, I have a cheat code since I can look to California, Illinois, New York and then do the opposite of what they’re doing and it usually works out pretty good,” DeSantis said. 

Senate Bill 700, which was sponsored by Sen. Keith Truenow, R-Tavares, will protect farmers from environmental, social, and governance-related bias from lenders, ban the addition of medicine such as fluoride from being added to the water supply, bolster the disaster recovery loan program for farmers and preventing the mislabeling of plant-based products as milk, meat, poultry or eggs.

DeSantis took a rhetorical victory lap on ESG investing strategies that he said started to wane when Florida’s pension fund, at his direction, stopped doing business with investment funds that engaged in those policies. 

“But I can tell you today, the number one reason why you don’t hear as much about ESG because Florida was really the one responsible for killing ESG when we took our stand,” DeSantis said. “That had huge impact for our society, but it definitely had major, major ramifications for our agriculture community.”

The fluoride additive ban will not remove any chemical required for water purification. It was a controversial part of the bill that was opposed by House and Senate Democrats, who tried to amend the bill in both chambers to remove the fluoride ban without success. 

DeSantis also said that removing fluoride from the state’s tap water was needed to protect the health of pregnant women and others. He said some counties had complied with state Surgeon General Dr. Joe Lapado’s guidance on the issue to remove it from their water, such as Miami-Dade County. 

Under SB700, local governments will be banned from zoning changes that would make it impossible for agricultural facilities to be placed on school property for 4-H and Future Farmers of America. 

The bill will prohibit local governments from banning housing for legally verified farm workers on farms. It would also create a requirement for legal worker eligibility to prevent noncitizens from working on farms. 

“I’m a fourth-generation citrus grower. And I look around this room, and what I see is, I see a lot of folks here that are multi-generation farmers,” said Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula. “It is part of the DNA of Florida. The governor mentioned that earlier, but it is absolutely part of the DNA of Florida. It is, quite frankly, I think the best part of Florida, whether it was one acre or 10 million acres.”

The bill even stretches to Second Amendment issues, as it will streamline the state’s concealed carry permit process.

The measure will also forbid drones on state hunting lands or private shooting ranges for the purpose of harassment.

Charitable organizations will be prohibited from receiving foreign contributions from “countries of concern” such as Iran, Venezuela, China, Cuba, North Korea and Syria. 

Senate Bill 700 was passed 88-27 in the House of Representatives on April 30, while the Senate passed the 111-page measure 27-9 on April 16. It will go into effect on July 1, the first day of the new fiscal year.