Tag Archives: FDACS

Rural and Family Lands Protection Program Application Period

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January 2025 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) recently announced that an application period for the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program begins on December 18, 2024, for preservation of important agricultural lands through acquisition of perpetual easements on working agricultural lands.

The deadline for receiving applications for this review cycle shall end at 5:00 p.m. EST on January 29, 2025.  Applications received after the application review cycle deadline will not be considered and will be returned to the applicant.

The application form can be downloaded here.  Applications can be submitted online via https://rflppapplication.fdacs.gov/or by US Mail carrier or hand delivery to: FDACS, Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, 315 South Calhoun St. Suite 500, Tallahassee, Florida 32301.

The applicant will be notified of any deficiency and instructions for resubmission. If the required information is not received in writing via the RFLPP application form within five (5) business days of the applicant’s receipt of the notice of deficiency, the application will be rejected.

Interested parties may obtain more information from the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program website at: http://www.FDACS.gov/RFLPP or by calling (850) 681-5828 or emailing [email protected].

 

SFWMD completes a new Northern Everglades Water Quality Project in Osceola County

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January 2025 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter

On December 16, 2024, the South Florida Water Management District joined the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Garcia Land Management, LLC and many other local, state and federal partners to celebrate the completion of a new dispersed water management project in Osceola County.

The El Maximo Ranch Northern Everglades Water Quality Project is a regional water quality improvement effort intended to reduce nutrients flowing into Lake Okeechobee. The project diverts water from the Kissimmee River and Blanket Bay Slough for treatment on approximately 7,000 acres of privately-owned land and is expected to remove over two metric tons of total phosphorus and seven metric tons of total nitrogen per year. The project consists of four pump stations, 19 water control structures and more than 27 miles of berms.

This is a great example of a proactive regional water management project made possible through public/private partnership. There are several other operational Dispersed Water Management Projects, including the Brighton Valley Dispersed Water Storage and Management Project, Bluefield Grove Water Storage Farm, Scott Water Storage Farm, ALJO Four Corners Rapid Infiltration Project, and the Doc Partin Ranch Project. These projects use private lands for water storage, helping to improve water quality and enhance plant and wildlife habitats.

 

Revised Ag Water Rule Finalized by the FDA

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September 2024 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published a final rule that revises pre-harvest agricultural water provisions in the FSMA Produce Safety Rule. The rule replaces the previous microbial quality criteria and testing requirements with systems-based, pre-harvest agricultural water assessments.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is committed to providing support for farms that may be affected by this rule change.

It is highly encouraged that all fruit and vegetable producers take advantage of the produce safety training opportunities provided in partnership with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF-IFAS) and FDACS. FDACS Food Safety Training Calendar can be found here.

Under the revised rule, covered farms using pre-harvest agricultural water for covered produce must conduct annual agricultural water assessments and assess factors such as water source, distribution system, protection from contamination sources, application methods, time interval between water application and harvest, crop characteristics, environmental conditions, and other relevant factors.

Based on the assessments, farms must determine if corrective or mitigation measures are necessary to minimize contamination risks. Prompt action is required for hazards related to animal activity, biological soil amendments of animal origin (BSAAOs), or untreated/improperly treated human waste. Mitigation measures should be implemented as soon as practicable for other hazards, or testing may be conducted.

The final rule also requires supervisory review of the written assessment and determinations made. Covered farms may be exempt from assessments if they meet specific requirements for their pre-harvest agricultural water.

Compliance dates for the pre-harvest agricultural water provisions are as follows: Large farms: 9 months after the effective date (April 7, 2025), Small farms: 1 year, 9 months after the effective date (April 6, 2026), Very small farms: 2 years, 9 months after the effective date (April 5, 2027).

FDACS is available to help assess Produce Safety Rule compliance, including the new ag water requirements, on your farm with a free On-Farm Readiness Review. To request an on-site readiness review, click here.

If you have any questions, call 863-578-1900, email Kirby Quam, or visit www.FDACS.gov/FSMA.

Additional Resources:
FSMA Final Rule on Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water | FDA

Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption