The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services recently announced updates to COVID-19 testing sites in Hendry, Miami-Dade, Collier and St. Lucie counties for farmworkers. The effort to provide access to no-cost testing for farmworkers is part of a partnership with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, the Florida Division of Emergency Management and county governments. Testing services will continue as …
Commissioner Nikki Fried Urges Okaloosa and Walton County Producers Affected by Hurricane Sally to Apply for USDA Disaster Assistance
(FDACS) — Following Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried’s call for a Secretarial disaster designation for Florida counties impacted by Hurricane Sally, on Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) designated Okaloosa and Walton counties as primary and Bay, Holmes, Santa Rosa, and Washington counties as secondary disaster areas. Producers in these counties are now eligible for USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) disaster loans in addition to producers in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties who …
Commissioner Fried Comments on Florida Request to Assume EPA Responsibilities on Clean Water Act
(FDACS) — On the final day of virtual public hearings on the state of Florida’s request to assume the administration of the Clean Water Act’s Section 404 program from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Commissioner Nikki Fried, an independently-elected member of the Florida Cabinet, offered the following: “Just before an election, the DeSantis administration is furthering their relentless drive to consolidate power, seizing authority from the federal government and …
FDACS Announces Hendry County Farmworker COVID-19 Testing
(FDACS) — Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) are announcing additional COVID-19 testing sites in Hendry County for farmworkers as the fall harvest season begins. The product of a partnership with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), and local county governments, today’s announcement follows COVID-19 testing for farmworkers that was made available earlier this month in Miami Dade, Hillsborough, …
Commissioner Nikki Fried Announces Florida 2020 Woman of the Year in Agriculture
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) announced Veronique Sallin as the 2020 Woman of the Year in Agriculture. For 36 years, this recognition has been awarded to women who have made exceptional contributions to Florida agriculture. Honorees come from throughout the agriculture community, including cattle, horticulture, timber, citrus, agriculture education, and more. “I’m proud to announce Veronique Sallin …
FDACS Submits 2021-2022 Legislative Budget Request
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) announced Thursday they were submitting the Department’s Legislative Budget Request (LBR) for Fiscal Year 2021-2022. The request focuses on key priorities for the Department, while taking into account the looming $5.5 billion revenue shortfall projection caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Our budget priorities of supporting Florida farmers, protecting consumers, improving water quality and …
Commissioner Nikki Fried to Congress & USDA: “Too Little Too Late” for Florida Farmers
(FDACS) — Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried sent letters to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue and Florida’s congressional delegation urging further action to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on Florida’s agriculture industry. In the letters, Fried shared the Florida Seasonal Crop COVID-19 Impact Assessment released this week which projects losses for Florida agriculture upwards of $522 million. The USDA recently announced its …
Commissioner Nikki Fried Highlights COVID-19 Crop Losses
(FDACS) — Agriculture Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) released the Florida Seasonal Crop COVID-19 Impact Assessment, a new report providing data on crop losses facing Florida farmers. Based on figures reported by growers, total crop losses across the state through mid-April 2020 may exceed $522.5 million. Florida is the nation’s second-largest producer of seasonal specialty crops such as blueberries, strawberries, …
Commissioner Nikki Fried on “Urgently Needed” USDA Stimulus Funding
(FDACS) — Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue urging swift action in getting the $9.5 billion in direct assistance provided by the CARES Act stimulus bill into the hands of agriculture producers. Fried also shared with USDA several proposals from national and Florida agriculture industry partners highlighting the needs on the ground in response …
Commissioner Nikki Fried Launches Keep Florida Growing Webpage
(FDACS) — Agriculture Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried launched the Keep Florida Growing webpage, a one-stop online portal with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ COVID-19 food and agriculture-related information for Florida’s farmers and ranchers, consumers, and news media. Fried first announced the new page in this #KeepFloridaGrowing social media video. “With COVID-19 deeply affecting not only Floridians but also agriculture, our state’s second-largest economic …