| Agriculture Bill Could Harm Conservation Lands, Unleash Biosolids, and Chill Journalism |
Audubon warns that Agriculture, HB 433, (Rep. Alvarez (R-Riverview))and SB 290 (Sen. Truenow (R- Tavares)), weakens protections for both conservation lands and biosolids management by stripping away existing oversight without putting real safeguards in their place.
Conservation Lands
Buried in this bill is language that would fundamentally change how Florida treats conservation lands. Under the proposal, most conservation lands bought with public dollars after 2023 would be reviewed for agricultural “suitability” and could be sold off for farm use, with the state keeping an easement and the sale proceeds going to the agriculture department instead of back to conservation programs. This would create a pipeline where land acquired to protect water, wildlife, and public access can be converted into agricultural use, permanently weakening Florida’s conservation system.
Biosolids
On biosolids, it dismantles current Class B safeguards and pushes use toward Class AA biosolids without permits or clear DEP authority to regulate, increasing risks to water quality, public lands, and taxpayers.
Agricultural Libel
Also included in this bill is a little-noticed provision that would greatly expand Florida’s “food libel” law and could chill speech about environmental and wildlife impacts of farming. The change broadens the law to cover nearly all agricultural products and practices, not just perishable foods, meaning criticism could trigger lawsuits. Critics warn this expansion could be used to intimidate advocates, journalists, and residents into staying quiet about harmful practices by threatening costly legal action.
HB 433 passed the Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Committee (Chair, Rep. Snyder (R-Stuart)) and is headed to its last committee. |
|
|
|
|
