U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue spent time in Tallahassee, Florida this morning to take part in a roundtable discussion about the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA) and disaster aid. Various Florida officials were in attendance, including Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried. She explains the message they were able to present to Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue. And Florida Farm Bureau Federation’s John Hoblick told …
Commissioner Nikki Fried to President Trump: Stop Timber Tariffs & Trade War
Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried sent a letter to President Donald Trump asking him to stop Chinese tariffs on Florida timber crops and end his growing trade war with China. The letter, also sent to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, cited the need to not worsen difficulties faced by Florida timber farmers. Florida …
Nikki Fried Urges Immediate Action by U.S. Senate on Disaster Relief
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried urged the U.S. Senate to take immediate action on long-overdue Hurricane Michael relief. With both chambers set to adjourn on Friday until June 3, Fried asked senators to send a bipartisan disaster assistance package to the President’s desk before the end of the week. The U.S. House passed a bipartisan disaster bill on May 10. …
Florida Ag Commissioner Urges Support for Fresh From Florida Budget
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried urges Florida farmers to make their voices heard now during this tough year for agriculture program funding. She says state lawmakers are debating key budget items between House and Senate versions that could leave some department programs woefully underfunded. One area of big concern right now is the popular Fresh From Florida marketing program. In …
News from Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried: Week of January 28th, 2019
From Commissioner Nikki Fried It’s been a busy past few weeks making our way around the state — from touring our Panhandle communities to survey the damage from Hurricane Michael, to hearing from members of the Miami-Dade County Farm Bureau, to working with my fellow Cabinet members to honor and remember the victims of the Parkland tragedy.I’m thrilled to continue …
Florida Set to Receive Funds as USDA Awards $200 Million to Agriculture Organizations
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a $200 million award to 57 organizations through the Agricultural Trade Promotion Program to help the nation’s agriculture community identify and access new export markets. The Florida Department of Citrus was one of the specified organizations and is set to receive $550,000 in funding to promote citrus in various new markets. Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried shared, “We’re thrilled the USDA has provided this opportunity …
Remarks by Commissioner Nikki Fried at 2019 Florida Associated Press Day
Good afternoon, I’m Nikki Fried- I’m here today proudly serving as the first woman elected as Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services. I want to thank all of you for your public service to our state and nation as journalists. Our democracy relies upon a free and strong press. And I want to give a special thank you to …
Commissioner Nikki Fried and Dignitaries Discuss Hurricane Damage and Recovery
On Monday, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried, State Senator George Gainer (R-Panama City), State Representative Brad Drake (R-DeFuniak Springs) and Florida Forest Service Director Jim Karels toured Hurricane Michael-damaged Jackson County and surrounding areas and discussed hurricane damage and ongoing recovery efforts and needs. The group toured several agricultural operations including timber, cotton and soybean farms in Jackson and Calhoun counties, and met with state forest …
Land and Water Money Considered in Storm Recovery
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried indicated Monday she could back a legislative proposal to use money voters designated for land and water projects to help recovery efforts from Hurricane Michael. After reviewing agricultural damages Monday, Fried said at Chipola College in Marianna that her office was looking into a proposal (SB 376) by Sen. Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee, that would designate at …
Commissioner Nikki Fried Continues Building New Administration
Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried is announcing another round of hires for the administration, with new additions in her office’s external and legislative affairs departments. Stephanie McClung will serve as External Affairs Director, Shahra Anderson Lambert and Ricardo Alvarez as Regional Directors for Southwest and South Florida respectively, and Matthew Alford and Carlos Nathan as Deputy Legislative Affairs Directors. “We’re building a Department that’s …