States are increasingly becoming laboratories for President Trump’s “America First” agenda to unleash prosperity and break regulatory shackles. Nowhere is that more evident than in Florida, which is quickly emerging as a national model for how states can align public safety, immigration enforcement, consumer protection and economic policy with a broader vision of national strength.
Florida is also taking the lead in Trump’s “agriculture first” policies that treat food security as national security, as evidenced by a new piece of Farm Bill legislation designed to enhance the state’s agricultural viability.
In early January, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson linked border enforcement to agricultural protection, noting that specially trained local law enforcement officers working alongside federal immigration authorities helped apprehend more than 10,000 undocumented immigrants and emphasized the integration of border security and agricultural safety.
America’s agricultural states need a clear model like Florida’s to embrace the way forward in America First’s agriculture agenda. The state is one of the nation’s farming powerhouses, with agriculture as the state’s second-largest industry. As more than 300 commodities are produced on nearly 45,000 farms, Florida demonstrates how strong enforcement and a robust domestic food supply can reinforce one another.
This economic dynamo generates more than $180 billion in revenue and supports 2.5 million jobs in the state.
This safe, wholesome, sustainable and domestic food supply produces food for 179 million Americans relying on citrus, corn, lettuce, cabbage, green beans, celery, and other vegetables that keep American stomachs full for more than seven months of the year.
Florida agriculture feeds our families when few other states can. This makes its crops a vital strategic asset; if removed, they would deplete the U.S. food supply during the winter months and increase the U.S. reliance on foreign countries for food.
All of this must be protected, and Simpson’s Florida Farm Bill was written not just for Florida’s interests but with the national America First agenda in mind.
The legislation protects the state’s food supply, strengthens its economy, and puts food security on equal footing with national security.
The bill uses common-sense solutions to protect Florida’s farmers, economy, and national security from false or misleading claims that can disrupt the production, sale and distribution of food. America cannot maintain a secure and resilient food system if any of these elements are disrupted.
The Florida Farm Bill expands protections across all agricultural commodities produced in the state, as well as perishable and non-perishable products. It also modernizes these protections to combat damaging social media campaigns that can quickly erode consumer and purchaser trust by either originating or amplifying false claims.
The bill also shows other states how to support their agricultural industry.
It would expand land-conservation partnerships between the state government and landowners, helping farmers retain more acreage for agricultural production and protect it from other forms of land development. It would also free farmers from local regulations that prevent them from using gas-powered tools, allowing them to produce food more productively and cost-efficiently.
Finally, it supports a safer, more productive livestock sector through a loan-repayment program that recruits and retains veterinarians to keep Florida’s enormous livestock population healthy.
Although this bill was written for Florida agriculture, it will have a strong national effect if replicated in other farming states.
It’s nothing less than a golden opportunity for Florida legislators to show that Florida agriculture is ready to take the lead in U.S. agriculture by elevating state crops to what they truly are: vital elements of our nation’s national security and food independence.
Food independence is national independence. A country that cannot defend its farmers cannot secure its economy or sovereignty.
With the Florida Farm Bill, the state is showing how to defend American farmers in ways that ensure national security and a stable food supply for the nation, all while advancing agriculture and economic prosperity.