TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson is highlighting part of the Florida Farm Invoice that goals to require sincere and correct labeling for plant-based meals merchandise.
The sponsors: Sen. Keith Truenow (SB 700) and Rep. Kaylee Tuck (HB 651).
What it does: The brand new laws goals to assist the state’s agriculture sector, together with farmers, ranchers and growers.
- The proposal will prohibit plant-based meals merchandise from being labeled as meat, milk, or poultry – a observe that’s at the moment occurring and is inherently deceptive to shoppers.
The commissioner’s workplace laid out further features of the farm invoice. Discover the complete checklist on the backside of this report.
What they’re saying: “Phrases matter, and when buyers choose up a product labeled as ‘milk’ or ‘meat,’ or ‘poultry,’ they shouldn’t need to learn the advantageous print to seek out out it’s truly constructed from soy, almonds, or chemical compounds,” Simpson stated.
- “This laws is a commonsense step to get rid of deceptive labels and assist knowledgeable purchases, and I sit up for working with Senator Truenow, Consultant Tuck, and legislative leaders on this vital laws,” he stated.
- “Via this proposal, Florida is taking a daring stand for honesty in labeling,” Truenow stated. “By making it crystal clear what’s – and what’s not – contained inside a meals product, shoppers can take advantage of knowledgeable decisions when buying meat, milk, poultry, or plant-based merchandise. I’m proud to sponsor this laws alongside Consultant Tuck.”
- “Nobody ought to need to guess whether or not the ‘milk’ they’re shopping for truly comes from a cow,” Tuck stated. “Commissioner Wilton Simpson understands the essential significance of our meals provide chain, and this laws — calling our meals merchandise what they’re — strengthens Floridians’ confidence within the merchandise they buy.”
The common legislative session will start March 4 and can run by way of Might 2.
The laws seeks to enact different measures useful to Florida’s farmers.
- Restores native management over photo voltaic farm zoning and clarifying tax incentives for dual-use solar-agriculture operations.
- Prohibits drone use over agricultural land and barring monetary discrimination in opposition to farmers primarily based on environmental insurance policies.
- Permits Floridians to vote on exempting tangible private property taxes for agriculture and exempting supplies utilized in finest administration practices from state taxes.
- Streamlines Florida’s hid weapon license course of and banning drones from state looking lands and personal capturing ranges used for harassment.
- Establishes a gasoline station registration program and grants for generator energy switches in evacuation areas.
- Creates an “Sincere Companies Registry” for charities, banning unregistered political charities, requiring clear value labeling, closing a psychedelic mushroom gross sales loophole, and making mail verify theft a felony.
- Bans non-water high quality components in public water methods.
- Protects 4-H and FFA applications from native zoning restrictions to permit agriculture amenities on college property.
Keep tuned to Florida’s Voice for in-depth protection of the 2025 Legislative Session.
