Happy birthday, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson: Top accomplishments

Owen Girard contributed to this article.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Friday, June 28 is Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson’s birthday.

He has spent time both in his current position and in the Senate to push forward several programs and policies that have truly transformed the Sunshine State.

2024 legislative agriculture victories

• $100 million for the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. The program specifically helps maintain the agricultural land base in Florida through the acquisition of permanent rural land protection easements.
• $100 million each fiscal year, appropriated from SB 1638, to support the preservation of the Florida Wildlife Corridor. This also includes the acquisition of rural land protection.
• $346 million for the administration of home energy rebate programs.
• $80 million to build a new facility at the Connor Complex in Tallahassee to strengthen owned and leased space in Tallahassee. Secured by FDACS in 1978, the building will provide cost savings to taxpayers and necessary operational efficiencies to help the department fulfill its mission.
• $40 million in assistance to Florida’s citrus industry through infrastructure, research, and expansion of propagation and replanting efforts.
• $32 million in supplements from SB 1638 for land management within the Florida Forest Service.
• $15.6 million each for equipment and operational increases for the Florida Forest Service, which aids fighters in doing their jobs safely and efficiently.
• $13.3 million for repairs and maintenance to roads and bridges on state forest lands, as well as facility replacements. The funding also will help reforestation efforts on public and private lands.
• $13.4 million for information technology critical needs: They include security enhancements, cloud migration and phone services, technology transformation, and Florida PALM system remediation.
• $3 million to address recruitment and retention efforts throughout the department.

Oppose ESG mandates on Florida farms

• Penned a letter to America’s six largest banks, accusing them of colluding to force ESG, or environmental and social governances criteria, onto American farmers and ranchers.
• Ultimately got a number of the banks to remove the criteria.

Ban Chinese ownership of Florida’s agricultural land

• Planned out and executed policies to combat Chinese and other foreign influences in the state by limiting foreign investments into Florida land.

Combatting hemp products targeted at children

• Hosted a roundtable with medical experts to address the issue head on.
• Reported that the state has removed over 80,000 packages of hemp products specifically targeted at children.

Preservation of family farms

• Announced the preservation of specific family farms across the state, showing exactly where funds from the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program is going.

Banning lab-grown meat

• Advocated and worked towards the banning of the production and sale of lab-grown meat products in the state.

Fighting retail fuel theft

• Investigated and arrested individuals involved in organized retail fuel thefts across the state.

Seizing and destroying ‘gas station heroin’

• Lead the effort of securing 5,000 pounds of raw and packaged tianpetine, also known as “gas station heroin.”

Raised awareness for disaster preparedness tax holiday

• Encouraged the public to take advantage of savings on multiple items and resources needed to prepare for hurricane season.