(NSF) — Senators pressed forward Tuesday with a proposal that would provide $100 million a year for Florida Forever, as the House and Senate go into budget talks far apart on the land-buying program. The Senate Agriculture, Environment and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee backed a proposal (SB 332) by Sen. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando, that would funnel $100 million annually to …
Water Legislation Discussed by Florida Lawmakers
There are only three weeks left to the 2020 Florida Legislative Session, and according to Florida Cattlemen’s Association (FCA) Director of Governmental Affairs Sam Ard, this week was a busy one. He notes that discussions this week included a bill concerning water. And Ard also has an update on the budget, which lawmakers will be working to wrap up before …
E-Verify Sponsor Says Change Makes ‘Mockery’
(NSF) — A key Republican lawmaker who is pushing to require all Florida employers to do federal immigration background checks on new hires said Tuesday his bill has become a “mockery” of what the proposal should be. Sen. Tom Lee, R-Thonotosassa, wants his proposal to require all public and private employers in the state to use E-Verify, a federal program …
Questions Remain Over Hurricane Timber Money
(NSF) — Florida’s timber industry remains amid tons of strewn trees from Hurricane Michael as talks continue over the distribution of a $380 million federal-recovery grant allocated in November for the 2018 storm. State officials expressed concern Tuesday that more than a quarter of the money may go unused as negotiations continue with the U.S. Department of Agriculture on eligibility …
Promoting Florida Beef for Heart Month
For more than two years now, the Florida Beef Council (FBC) has been working with registered dietician Sarah Krieger. She has been helping promote the beef message to consumers across the state. With February being Heart Month, Krieger is working to get the message out to consumers about leaner cuts of beef. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding For …
Weekly Livestock Market Report Week Ending 02-14-2020
Here are the weekly livestock market reports for Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, for the week ended February 14, 2020, compiled by the Livestock Market News Service for all three states. AL Livestock Market Report: At Alabama Livestock Auctions for the Week ended February 14, 2020, receipts at 21 markets totaled an estimated 7,900 head compared to 12,086 last week and …
Facts of the Flow: Lake Okeechobee, 2020 Year-to-Date
(SFWMD) — Here is the latest update on inflows into Lake Okeechobee for the calendar year to date. This data is provided by SFWMD’s DBHYDRO database. There has been no back-pumping into Lake Okeechobee from the Everglades Agricultural Area this year. Source: South Florida Water Management District Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding For Quicker Response to Research QuestionsApril …
Oliva Open to Governor’s E-Verify Mandate
(NSF) — House Speaker José Oliva said he is “open” to supporting an E-Verify bill that would meet the goals of Gov. Ron DeSantis, but expressed doubts about the Senate’s version of the legislation. The Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this week carved out the agriculture industry from a bill (SB 664) that would require employers to use E-Verify, a federal …
Florida Lawmakers Approve Proposed Budgets
Thursday, both the Florida House and Senate unanimously passed their versions of a record state budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The proposed House budget, at $91.37 billion, is about $1.4 billion less than the Senate’s $92.83 billion spending plan. Both proposals top the $90.98 billion budget for the current fiscal year. According to the News Service of Florida, the proposed …
Florida E-Verify Plan Clears First Senate Hurdle
(NSF) – A Senate committee on Tuesday approved a watered-down proposal aimed at preventing undocumented immigrants from getting jobs in the state, an issue that has long divided Florida Republicans and is sowing discord among prominent business leaders. Along party lines, the Senate Judiciary Committee backed the bill (SB 664), which would require employers to do immigration checks on all …