INLAND SPOTS. WHEN I COME BACK, WE’LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE TIMING OF WHEN WE COULD SEE SOME RAINFALL AS WELL. NEW LAWS SEEM TO TAKE EFFECT IN FLORIDA’S DRAWING ATTENTION FOR ITS WIDE RANGING IMPACT ON STATE AGRICULTURE AND LIMITING LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY. OUR REPORTER RACHEL WILLIAMS HAS A LOOK AT WHAT IT ENTAILS AND WHAT THIS COULD MEAN FOR FARMERS ACROSS THE STATE. GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS SIGNED AN EXTENSIVE BILL THAT’S DESIGNED TO SUPPORT FARMERS WHILE STRENGTHENING THE STATE’S FOOD SUPPLY. I DO THINK IT’S BENEFICIAL FOR OUR BUSINESS IN THE LONG RUN. THERE’S LITTLE QUESTION ABOUT THAT. ALEX SALAZAR IS THE OWNER OF TROPICAL ACRES FARM, WHERE THEY HAVE SEVEN ACRES OF LAND GROWING TROPICAL FRUIT AND CRAFTING NEW TREES. SALAZAR IS SUPPORTIVE OF THE NEW BILL, MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE PROTECTIONS FROM LOCAL MUNICIPAL OVERREACH. FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE EQUIPMENT AT DIFFERENT PERIODS OF TIME DURING THE YEAR, THIS BILL ACTUALLY WILL HELP PROTECT US. IF WE WERE TO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE CITY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THE NEW LEGISLATION CUTS RED TAPE, HELPS GET MORE LOCALLY GROWN FOOD TO FAMILIES IN NEED AND PROTECTS RURAL LAND FROM OVERDEVELOPMENT. SALAZAR’S FARM IS THE ONLY LOCAL FARM IN WEST PALM BEACH, AND HE SAYS HE HAS MINOR CONCERNS ABOUT OVERDEVELOPMENT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE’S IMPACT FROM THINGS LIKE TRAFFIC. AND IF YOUR NEIGHBORS DON’T LIKE AGRICULTURE, IT COULD BE PROBLEMATIC. WE HAVE GOOD NEIGHBORS. FORTUNATELY, OVERDEVELOPMENT IS A CONCERN FOR A CITRUS FARM ON THE TREASURE COAST, SAYING ECONOMICALLY FARMING IS DIFFICULT RIGHT NOW. ALL OF US WANT TO MAINTAIN FARMING. OBVIOUSLY, SOME CASES YOU CAN’T DO THAT. AND IF THERE IS LAND THAT’S MORE SELECTIVELY PREFERRED BY A DEVELOPER IN A IN A URBAN SERVICE AREA, ETC., THOSE LANDS ARE BEING GOBBLED UP. WE CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO PROTECT THE AGRICULTURAL AREA FROM THOSE THINGS HAPPENING. BOTH FARMERS AGREE THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE IN THE SUNSHINE STATE IS BRIGHT. LOCAL FARMING IS DEFINITELY PICKING UP. WE’RE VERY SUPPORTIVE. THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION. I HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, ASSISTS YOUNG AND AND AND NEW FARMERS AND GIVING THEM PERHAPS A BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO START NEW FARMS OR
Florida’s new farm bill aims to protect agriculture and support farmers
Florida’s latest farm bill, signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis, seeks to bolster the state’s agricultural sector by cutting red tape, protecting rural land and supporting farmers.
Updated: 10:22 PM EDT Mar 24, 2026
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a comprehensive farm bill into law Monday, aiming to support farmers and strengthen Florida’s food supply.Alex Salazar, owner of Tropical Acres Farm, expressed his support for the new bill, particularly due to the protections it offers against local municipal overreach. “I do think it’s beneficial for our business in the long run. There’s little question about that,” Salazar said. He added, “For an example, if we have to be able to operate equipment at different periods of times during the year, this bill actually will help protect us if we were to have an issue with the city or something like that.”The new legislation cuts red tape, helps get more locally grown food to families in need, and protects rural land from overdevelopment. The law also includes funding to support veterinarians and help farms recover after disasters. It adds public safety measures, such as crackdowns on commercial driver’s license exams, bans on signal jamming devices that can disrupt emergency calls and bans on commercial solicitations on properties with “no solicitation” signs.Salazar’s farm is the only local farm in West Palm Beach, and he noted minor concerns about overdevelopment. “Because, obviously, there’s impact from things like traffic, and if your neighbors don’t like agriculture, it can be problematic, but we have good neighbors, fortunately,” he said.Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 NewsOverdevelopment is also a concern for Dan Richey, a citrus farmer on the Treasure Coast, who highlighted the economic challenges of farming. “All of us want to maintain farming, obviously, in some cases, you can’t do that. And if there’s land that’s more selectively preferred by a developer in an urban service area, those lands are being gobbled up. We certainly would like to protect the agricultural area from those things happening,” Richey said.Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.Both farmers agree that the future of agriculture in Florida is promising. “Local farming is definitely picking up,” Richey said. “We’re very supportive, entire industry is very supportive of this piece of legislation.” Salazar added, “I hope that it assist young and new farmers, giving them perhaps a better opportunity to start new farms or to expand their existing operations.”The new law takes effect July 1, 2026.
, Fla. —
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a comprehensive farm bill into law Monday, aiming to support farmers and strengthen Florida’s food supply.
Alex Salazar, owner of Tropical Acres Farm, expressed his support for the new bill, particularly due to the protections it offers against local municipal overreach. “I do think it’s beneficial for our business in the long run. There’s little question about that,” Salazar said. He added, “For an example, if we have to be able to operate equipment at different periods of times during the year, this bill actually will help protect us if we were to have an issue with the city or something like that.”
The new legislation cuts red tape, helps get more locally grown food to families in need, and protects rural land from overdevelopment. The law also includes funding to support veterinarians and help farms recover after disasters. It adds public safety measures, such as crackdowns on commercial driver’s license exams, bans on signal jamming devices that can disrupt emergency calls and bans on commercial solicitations on properties with “no solicitation” signs.
Salazar’s farm is the only local farm in West Palm Beach, and he noted minor concerns about overdevelopment. “Because, obviously, there’s impact from things like traffic, and if your neighbors don’t like agriculture, it can be problematic, but we have good neighbors, fortunately,” he said.
Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 News
Overdevelopment is also a concern for Dan Richey, a citrus farmer on the Treasure Coast, who highlighted the economic challenges of farming. “All of us want to maintain farming, obviously, in some cases, you can’t do that. And if there’s land that’s more selectively preferred by a developer in an urban service area, those lands are being gobbled up. We certainly would like to protect the agricultural area from those things happening,” Richey said.
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
Both farmers agree that the future of agriculture in Florida is promising. “Local farming is definitely picking up,” Richey said. “We’re very supportive, entire industry is very supportive of this piece of legislation.” Salazar added, “I hope that it assist young and new farmers, giving them perhaps a better opportunity to start new farms or to expand their existing operations.”
The new law takes effect July 1, 2026.