CS for CS for SB 740 Summary

• Establishes a state agricultural response team within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to coordinate with the Division of Emergency Management on animal, agricultural, and vector issues during disasters and emergencies.

• Extends agricultural land classification for 5 years when lands are damaged by natural disasters causing halting of agricultural production, and allows screened enclosed horticultural structures for pest/disease protection to be assessed using the same methodology as frost protection structures.

• Transfers authority to issue oyster harvesting licenses in Apalachicola Bay from the Department of Agriculture to the City of Apalachicola and revises permitted uses of license fee proceeds to include a shell recycling program.

• Modernizes seed regulations by revising labeling requirements, expanding definitions to include tree and shrub seeds, establishing preemption of local seed regulation, and requiring fees when packet seed is placed into commerce.

• Creates the Government Impostor and Deceptive Advertisements Act to prevent misleading advertisements that falsely imply governmental endorsement, with civil penalties ranging from $1,000 per advertisement to $5,000 per day for websites.