Agriculture

The prototype will soon be tested at select farms within Immokalee in Collier County and Ona in Hardee County.

Robert Guenther, executive vice president of the Florida Tomato Exchange, said the duty was "an enormous victory for American tomato farmers and American agriculture."

UF/IFAS researchers are testing how effective these products are by putting them in mesh bags and burying them alongside corn and cotton crops.

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.