HB 1265 2024
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to the Florida Crop Diversification 2
Commission; creating s. 570.233, F.S.; creating the 3
commission adjunct to the Department of Agriculture 4
and Consumer Services; providing the membership and 5
duties of the commission; requiring the commission to 6
submit an annual report to the Governor and the 7
Legislature by a specified date; providing 8
requirements for the report; providing an 9
appropriation; provid ing an effective date. 10
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WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that agricultural producers 12
in this state are confronted by a continuous stream of deadly 13
diseases and adverse weather conditions, including drought, 14
wind, flooding, and hurricanes, which threaten their crops and 15
their livelihoods, and 16
WHEREAS, these damaging diseases and weather conditions 17
severely reduce agricultural production and cause a loss of jobs 18
and severe economic losses to communities, families, and 19
individual producers, and 20
WHEREAS, maintaining agricultural production is vital to 21
this state's rural communities and overall economy, and 22
WHEREAS, preserving agricultural lands that produce crops, 23
rather than developing them, has many ecological benefits, 24
including maintaining wildlife hab itats, absorbing carbon 25
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dioxide, recharging the aquifer, reducing greenhouse gases, and 26
reducing erosion, and 27
WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that the loss of 28
agricultural infrastructure, jobs, economic opportunity, and 29
wildlife habitat caused by deadly di seases and adverse weather 30
conditions is not sustainable and has a negative impact on the 31
quality of life for all of the residents of this state, NOW, 32
THEREFORE, 33
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 35
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Section 1. Section 570.233, Florida Statutes, is created 37
to read: 38
570.233 Florida Crop Diversification Commission; powers 39
and duties.— 40
(1) The Florida Crop Diversification Commission, a 41
commission as defined in s. 20.03(4), is created adjunct to the 42
department. The commission sha ll be composed of the following 43
nine members: 44
(a) The commissioner or his or her designee. 45
(b) The dean for research of the Institute of Food and 46
Agricultural Sciences of the University of Florida or his or her 47
designee. 48
(c) The following members, ap pointed by the commissioner 49
based upon their knowledge and experience in agricultural 50
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production, processing, or manufacturing: 51
1. Four members who are currently involved in agricultural 52
production or who have been involved in agricultural production 53
within the last 3 years. 54
2. One member who has experience in agricultural 55
processing or manufacturing. 56
3. One member who has experience in the packing or 57
processing of fresh agricultural products. 58
4. One member who has experience in agricultural mark eting 59
analysis and the viability of agricultural products. 60
(2) The commission shall do all of the following: 61
(a) Evaluate alternative agricultural crops and determine 62
whether there exists one or more viable crops or products that 63
would provide an econo mic benefit to growers using current 64
agricultural infrastructure on land that has been taken out of 65
production by diseases or adverse weather conditions. 66
(b) Contract for the design and implementation of the 67
Florida Crop Diversification Initiative. The i nitiative must 68
provide direct cash payments to nurseries and agricultural 69
producers in this state in order to rapidly stimulate the 70
adoption of alternative crops, moderate the required economic 71
outlay, and speed the economic recovery of producers, packers, 72
nurseries, processors, and communities. The entity with which 73
the commission contracts for the Florida Crop Diversification 74
Initiative must be a nonprofit organization that has a history 75
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of focusing on alternative crops and has the organizational 76
capacity to manage a statewide initiative and carry out the 77
requirements of this paragraph. 78
(c) Develop best management practices for crops or 79
products recommended by the commission. 80
(d) Assist local economic development councils in 81
encouraging the development of manufacturing and processing 82
facilities for new crops or products recommended by the 83
commission. 84
(e) Publish the findings of the commission on an annual 85
basis after review and approval by the commissioner. 86
(3) By July 1, 2026, and each July 1 there after, the 87
commission shall submit a report to the Governor, the President 88
of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives 89
which includes, at a minimum: 90
(a) Information about each crop or product recommended, 91
detailing the environmental im pact of each. 92
(b) An assessment of each recommended crop's suitability 93
to this state's climate, and the expected economic benefit to 94
growers and communities in this state. 95
(c) Recommendations for best practices to sustain and 96
improve the agricultural i ndustry in this state. 97
Section 2. For the 2024-2025 fiscal year, the sum of 98
$500,000 in nonrecurring funds is appropriated from the General 99
Revenue Fund to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer 100
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Services for the purpose of implementing s. 570.233, Florida 101
Statutes, as created by this act. 102
Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. 103