(FDACS) — Congressional leaders agreed upon a $900 billion coronavirus relief bill. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues setting new case records, the bill will provide some direct assistance to families and additional funding for food production and distribution, among other priorities. On the bill, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried offered the following statement: “For more than nine months, COVID-19 has upended the lives …
FDACS Update: Additional County Farmworker COVID-19 Testing Availability
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) are announcing additional COVID-19 testing sites and dates in Miami-Dade, Hendry, Collier, Hillsborough, and Glades County for farmworkers. The ongoing efforts to provide access to testing for farmworkers is in 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. “As the pandemic remains a major health threat, we’re continuing our work to provide …
Commissioner Nikki Fried on December USDA Citrus Forecast
(FDACS) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released updated projections for citrus production in the 2020-21 season. The December forecast projects a 2 percent decrease in production, with a projected 56 million boxes of Florida Oranges, 4.4 million boxes of Florida Grapefruit, and 1.1 million boxes of specialty citrus. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried offered the following statement: “When Americans think of wellness and …
Hemp Program Lighting Up Florida Agriculture
(NSF) — Hemp is blazing among Florida’s agriculture inventory in the seven months since it was first allowed to be legally grown in the Sunshine State, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried told business leaders Tuesday. Fried said 22,078 acres are currently licensed for hemp, nearly equal to the acreage in Florida of tomatoes, watermelon and snap peas, and double the …
Fried Calls for Florida Cabinet to Jointly Address Coronavirus Issues
(NSF) — Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried has reiterated a call for Governor Ron DeSantis and the state Cabinet to jointly address issues related to the coronavirus pandemic. Fried, who has complained about a lack of communication between the statewide elected officials, says she’s been requesting weekly briefings from the governor’s office since before an April 7th Cabinet meeting was …
Fried Remains Opposed to Trade Deal
(NSF) — Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried isn’t joining the bipartisan support for a revised trade deal with Canada and Mexico that is backed by Republican President Donald Trump and the Democratic-run U.S. House. Fried, Florida’s only statewide elected Democrat, said she was “deeply disappointed” protections for seasonal growers were not included in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which is intended …
Florida Ag Commissioner Fried Meets with South Florida Farmers
Florida Agriculture Commissioner “Nikki” Fried joined a modest but representative group of south Florida farmers at Bedner Farms Wednesday near Boynton Beach, for an informal lunch and informational exchange about issues of concern to agriculture in the region. Water, weed, trade and the Department’s Fresh From Florida marketing campaign were among topics mentioned in her remarks after lunch, and she …
Agriculture Chairman Seeks State Hemp Program
With officials seeing a potentially lucrative industry, Senate Agriculture Chairman Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, is proposing creation of a state hemp program. Albritton on Thursday filed a bill that would set up the program under the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The bill came after Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried last week named Holly Bell as the state’s first director …
Commissioner Nikki Fried Appoints Holly Bell as Director of Cannabis
Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried announced her appointment of Holly Bell as the Director of Cannabis. Bell’s selection comes after a national search and interviews with multiple finalists for the position. In her role as Director of Cannabis, Bell will oversee the development of rules, work directly with scientific experts, and ensure Commissioner Fried’s vision for cannabis in Florida continues moving forward and now sells more and …
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