Florida’s 2011 Legislative Session is shaping up to provide agricultural interests with sweeping regulatory relief. Akerman is currently tracking legislation that includes the centralized agency review of fertilizer management, agricultural exemptions from water management requirements, prohibitions on county-imposed stormwater fees and assessments, and enhanced protection of agriculture practices.

HB 457 and SB 606: Grant of Exclusive Jurisdiction to DACS to Regulate Fertilizer

In order to streamline regulation, the proposed legislation grants the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS) with the exclusive authority to regulate fertilizer, including its sale, composition, formulation, packaging, use, application, and distribution.

HB 421 and SB 1174: Agricultural-Related Exemptions from Environmental Permitting Requirements and Exclusive Jurisdiction to DACS to Make Exemption-Determination

Current law provides an agriculture exemption, which allows persons engaged in certain agricultural occupations (farming, silviculture, floriculture, and horticulture) to alter the topography of any tract of land without obtaining an environmental resource permit from a water management district...