Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed the wide-ranging 2026 Florida Farm Bill, which lawmakers say benefits the state’s farmers, ranchers, anglers and rural communities.
Sponsored by Sen. Keith Truenow and Rep. Danny Alvarez, Senate Bill 290 includes a broad range of initiatives from protecting natural resources and first responders to supporting veterinarians.
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“With the legislative leaders’ hard work this session and Governor DeSantis’ signature, the 2026 Florida Farm Bill is now law – protecting our farmers from government overreach, strengthening public safety, and preserving our natural resources and rural lands,“ Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson said.
Among the sweeping elements of the bill is a provision that makes the Farmers Feeding Florida Program permanent, directing fresh, Florida agricultural products into food banks to provide additional healthy food options for those in need.
“Programs like Farmers Feeding Florida are a real expression of our values: helping neighbors in need and lifting up families with fresh, wholesome food,” Senate President Ben Albritton said. “This legislation is another step toward the rural renaissance our state deserves, where opportunity thrives and our heritage is protected.”
The bill also makes it a crime to cheat -- or help someone cheat -- on the Commercial Driver License proficiency exam.
Proponents argue this protects “Floridians from unqualified truck drivers who can’t read or understand vital road and safety information.”
Also in the bill is a provision to make it a crime in Florida to possess, sell, distribute, or use signal jamming devices and a provision that creates a suspended vendor list and administrative penalties for contractors who fail to pay their subcontractors or suppliers.
Lawmakers argue this holds bad contractors accountable by “protecting small businesses, ensuring fairness in state contracting, and safeguarding taxpayer dollars.”
Among other provisions in the 2026 Florida Farm Bill are
- Defending Floridians’ Freedom to Use Gasoline-Powered Farm and Lawn Care Equipment: Defending the freedom of Florida’s farmers, ranchers, and residents to use the farm and lawn care equipment of their choosing by prohibiting counties and municipalities from banning the use of gasoline or diesel-powered farm and landscape equipment.
- Protecting Natural Lands From High-density Development: Protecting our small, rural communities by prohibiting, unless unanimously approved by the local government, high-density development on lands designated as rural, conservation, or greenspace in a local comprehensive plan.
- Promoting More Agricultural Land to Grow Florida’s Domestic Food Supply: Allowing the state to determine if there are lands purchased since 2024 that can be surplused and put back into agricultural production to protect our domestic food supply.
- Protecting Florida’s Natural Resources: Prohibiting the application of biosolids other than Class AA, which have been treated for the highest level of pathogen removal.
- Restoring Privacy with the No-Knock Homestead Act: Prohibiting door-to-door commercial solicitation at homes displaying “No Solicitation” signs and establishing criminal penalties for violators.
- Supporting Florida’s Veterinarians: Strengthening our state’s agricultural workforce and food security by establishing a loan repayment program to reimburse up to $25,000 per year for veterinarians who treat food animals and equine and who commit to working in Florida.
Now that the governor has signed the bill, the changes will go into effect on July 1.