ISSUE 1121 GOV.BUSH SIGNS AG ENCLAVE BILL Governor Bush signed into law Tuesday (June 20) the Agricultural Economic Development bill, otherwise known as the ag enclave bill. The new law will help increase property valves of agricultural land if it is at least 75 percent surrounded by development. There is, however, much more to the bill. "This law has six separate sections," said Butch Calhoun, FFVA's Director, Governmental Affairs. The first section, Calhoun said, changes the time frame in the Bert Harris Law from 180 days to 90 days for a local government and an agricultural applicant to negotiate in good faith to reach a consensus on land uses and intensities before legal action can be taken. The bill also provides that when the state buys land that a producer is leasing, the lease must stay in effect for its full term. It also requires water management districts to inform producers who are applying for water consumptive use permits that 20-year permits are available. Another section of the bill requires the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) and all five of the water management districts to enter into memorandums of understanding to allow FDACS to determine if certain farming activities - such as cleaning ditches or clearing of land - are exempted from permitting requirements. And a final section provides that FDACS may collect membership dues for Florida Citrus Mutual. "Opponents to this legislation say that it will cause urban sprawl, but the fact is that farmers don't create the enclaves, local governments do by allowing development to surround agricultural operations. Our purpose was to increase property values and the borrowing power for growers, and allow them to continue to farm longer," Calhoun said. The bill, HB1015, passed the Legislature May 5 and was sponsored by Representative Joe Pickens (R-Palatka) and Senator Nancy Argenziano (R-Crystal River). It was their third attempt to pass the bill. A spokesman for Governor Bush told reporters he signed the latest version because it limits the sizes of properties that qualify as agricultural enclaves and still gives local governments an opportunity to reject development plans. In addition, at Rap-Up deadline, the governor signed the General Ag Bill, HB7075, which went to his desk June 19. The
signings of the two bills finish up a rewarding legislative session for the state's
agriculture industry. "We had a very good year," said Calhoun.
ALSO IN THIS WEEK'S RAP-UP (Members-Only articles are indicated in bold.) GOV. BUSH SIGNS AG ENCLAVE BILL HOUSE
TO HOLD HEARINGS THIS SUMMER ON IMMIGRATION REFORM HOUSE PASSES ESTATE TAX COMPROMISE LOOP WON’T SEEK RE-ELECTION TO FARM BUREAU PRESIDENCY DATES
SET FOR AG LABOR RELATIONS FORUM DIAMOND
TOMATO’S JOE BRESCIA PASSES AWAY
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