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Florida House passes expansive state farm bill | Florida

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www.thecentersquare.com – By Steve Wilson | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-30 11:33:00

(The Center Square) – The Florida Legislature passed its farm bill this week that officials say could be the most expansive farm-related measure in the state’s history.

Senate Bill 700 was passed 88-27 in the House of Representatives on Tuesday and is now headed to Gov. Ron DeSantis for a likely signature. The Senate passed the 111-page measure 27-9 on April 16. 

SB700, which was sponsored by Sen. Keith Truenow, R-Tavares, would 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.

The fluoride additive ban would not remove any chemical required for water purification. 

A similar regulation in Mississippi was changed in 2019 after a vegan food manufacturer, represented by the Institute for Justice, filed a lawsuit on First Amendment grounds. 

During debate, Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, mentioned a legal challenge to the state’s law on laboratory-grown meat and possible legal challenges to the labeling part of the legislation. 

“Consumers aren’t confused, but if anything, the expansion of alternative meat, alternative protein products is based on demand and companies wouldn’t do it there wasn’t demand for it,” Eskamani said. “The changes in this bill, the goal is to hinder that demand by creating confusion.

“And so to trust the free market means to allow companies to advertise themselves and appeal to consumers based on quality and I think I can speak for some members that some of these alternative products aren’t very good. To insert ourselves between the consumer and the product by forcing them to not to use specific language is a step too far. It restricts free speech and it’s just unnecessary.”

Two amendments she tried to add on the bill to eliminate the labeling and fluoride components died on voice votes. 

Under SB700, local governments would 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 would also 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. 

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

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

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

“This legislation is a blueprint for protecting Floridians and our freedoms,” said Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson in a release. “We are banning medicine – including fluoride – from Florida’s public water systems. We are keeping foreign countries of concern out of Florida’s charitable organizations.

“We are ensuring honesty in food labeling – milk comes from a cow, not an almond. We are upholding Second Amendment rights and cracking down on drone harassment of hunters.”

The post Florida House passes expansive state farm bill | Florida appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com



Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Right

The content presents a description of the Florida Legislature’s farm bill (SB700), emphasizing provisions that align with conservative political values, such as the protection of farmers from ESG-related bias, the restriction on certain food labeling, and measures around the Second Amendment and foreign contributions to charitable organizations. The tone of the article highlights actions that may appeal to right-leaning audiences, especially those supportive of agricultural, conservative, and pro-Second Amendment policies. While the article reports on the legislative process and includes a variety of perspectives, including a Democratic representative’s opposition, the framing and tone lean toward presenting the bill’s provisions positively, suggesting a preference for conservative positions. The article provides factual details but could be perceived as highlighting the bill’s conservative aspects more than its potential drawbacks or opposing views.

News from the South - Florida News Feed

LIVE: SpaceX Launch KF-02 mission

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www.youtube.com – FOX 35 Orlando – 2025-08-11 07:47:03

SUMMARY: SpaceX’s Falcon 9 successfully launched the KF-02 mission from Cape Canaveral. The rollout, fueling, and countdown proceeded smoothly, with both stages nearly fully loaded with RP-1 and liquid oxygen. The rocket’s onboard computers took over at T-minus 60 seconds, and the nine Merlin 1D engines ignited on time. After liftoff, Falcon 9 passed through Max Q and performed a pitch maneuver for orbit insertion. Key events included main engine cutoff, stage separation, second engine start, and fairing separation. The first stage executed entry and landing burns, culminating in a successful landing on the drone ship, marking a milestone for reusability. The second stage continued toward orbit as planned.

SpaceX is targeting Monday, August 11 for a Falcon 9 launch of the KF-02 mission to orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The 27-minute window opens at 8:35 a.m. ET.

#live #news #space

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CDC shooter blamed COVID vaccine for depression; union demands statement against misinformation

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www.news4jax.com – Susan Haigh, Associated Press – 2025-08-10 09:32:00

SUMMARY: Patrick Joseph White, a 30-year-old Georgia man fixated on COVID-19 vaccine misinformation, opened fire near the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, killing DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose and injuring multiple CDC buildings. Stopped initially by security, White then attacked a nearby pharmacy before being found dead, with unclear cause of death. The shooting prompted calls from the CDC workers’ union for federal condemnation of vaccine misinformation, tighter security, and trauma-informed support for staff still working amid bullet-riddled facilities. White’s father said his son blamed the vaccine for depression and suicidal thoughts, but neighbors didn’t anticipate his violent actions.

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Russia and Ukraine hold fast to their demands ahead of a planned Putin-Trump summit

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www.clickorlando.com – Associated Press – 2025-08-09 23:09:00

SUMMARY: Russian President Vladimir Putin remains firm on maximalist demands in the Ukraine war, seeking a summit with former U.S. President Trump to pressure Kyiv into a deal favoring Moscow. Russia demands Ukraine withdraw from annexed regions, halt mobilization, freeze Western arms aid, and abandon NATO ambitions, while recognizing Russian territorial gains and language status. Ukraine rejects these terms, insisting on sovereignty, NATO membership, and no recognition of Russian annexations. Trump’s planned meeting with Putin raises concerns about potential concessions to Russia. Experts predict Putin aims for Ukraine’s capitulation, but a lasting peace deal seems unlikely, with conflict expected to continue.

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The post Russia and Ukraine hold fast to their demands ahead of a planned Putin-Trump summit appeared first on www.clickorlando.com

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