Agriculture

The bill would provide coverage to Florida Farm Bureau members that would not be subject to the same state and federal regulations as health insurance.

Northern District of Florida Chief Judge Mark Walker declined to dismiss a part of the lawsuit that argued restrictions give an unconstitutional advantage to Florida farmers over out-of-state competitors.

The wide-ranging agriculture legislation would ban fluoride in Florida's public water systems and prohibit plant-based products from being labeled as meat or milk.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa that more interest-free disaster loans up to $500,000 will be available for eligible farmers, ranchers and growers.

Use of technology and growing more on less land are major keys to survival for the Florida agriculture industry.

Laborers have suffered in extreme heat triggered by climate change. Deaths aren’t inevitable, and employers can save lives by providing ample water and breaks, researchers say.

Incoming Senate President Ben Albritton, a Wauchula Republican and citrus grower, said the conditions are worse than Hurricane Idalia, which resulted in $400 million in damage to the industry.

Preliminary findings could mean the agricultural damages from Debby were close to losses from Hurricane Idalia, a Category 3 storm that roared across the same rural region nearly a year earlier.

The migrant farmworker community is one of the most vulnerable groups when it comes to natural disasters. Language barriers and immigration status are major hurdles to seeking emergency relief.

Officials say water used by Bedner Growers of Boynton Beach matched a strain of the bacteria that caused some of the illnesses in more than 30 states and Washington, D.C., from late March through early June.

Many farmers have traditionally handled their own problems, whether it’s a busted tractor or debilitating anxiety. “With the older generation, it’s still, ‘Suck it up,’ " says one mental health advocate and farmer.

Federal agencies have deemed lab-grown, or cultivated, meat safe to eat. But the legislation, supported by the state’s agriculture industry, “pumps the brakes” on the food to ensure it is safe.