HB 7087 - Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

• Land Management Hearings: Requires public hearings for land management plans to be held in any one affected county instead of each affected county.

• Babcock Crescent B Ranch: Lee County retains ownership and management responsibility of its portion upon termination of the current management agreement; activities must remain compatible with working ranch and agricultural operations.

• School Food and Nutrition Services: Creates Chapter 595 establishing the Florida School Food and Nutrition Act, consolidating school food programs including lunch, breakfast, summer nutrition, and commodity distribution under the Department of Agriculture.

• Open Burning and Forestry: Authorizes Florida Forest Service to manage broadcast burning, prescribed burning, and pile burning; prohibits local governments from banning these burning types; establishes Operation Outdoor Freedom Program for disabled veterans and servicemembers.

• Administrative Changes: Repeals obsolete provisions including pesticide survey requirements, livestock hauler permits, Arabian horse racing sections, and deletes provisions for animal disease diagnostic laboratory in Suwannee County; appropriates $59,239 to honor a donor's wishes through Florida Animal Friend, Inc.