ENROLLED
       2018 Legislature                    CS for SB 872, 1st Engrossed
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                                              2018872er
    1  
    2         An act relating to young farmers and ranchers;
    3         creating s. 570.843, F.S.; creating the Florida Young
    4         Farmer and Rancher Advisory Council within the
    5         department; specifying membership of the council;
    6         providing for staggered terms; specifying the
    7         meetings, powers, duties, procedures, and
    8         recordkeeping of the council; specifying that the
    9         council may submit findings and recommendations to the
   10         Commissioner of Agriculture; specifying the issues the
   11         council may examine; creating s. 570.844, F.S.;
   12         requiring the department to establish a clearinghouse
   13         on its website for resources to assist young and
   14         beginning farmers and ranchers; providing an effective
   15         date.
   16          
   17  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   18  
   19         Section 1. Section 570.843, Florida Statutes, is created to
   20  read:
   21         570.843 Florida Young Farmer and Rancher Advisory Council.—
   22         (1) There is created within the department the Florida
   23  Young Farmer and Rancher Advisory Council, to consist of 12
   24  members to be appointed by the commissioner. Initially, 6
   25  members shall be appointed by the commissioner for a 1-year term
   26  and 6 members for a 2-year term. Thereafter, members shall be
   27  appointed for 2-year terms.
   28         (2) The meetings, powers, duties, procedures, and
   29  recordkeeping of the Florida Young Farmers and Ranchers Advisory
   30  Council shall be pursuant to s. 570.232.
   31         (3) The council may submit to the commissioner, annually,
   32  findings and recommendations for mitigating challenges facing
   33  aspiring farmers and ranchers in the early stages of their
   34  careers. The council may examine issues that include, but are
   35  not limited to, access to land, availability of credit and
   36  capital, and access to business skills training.
   37         Section 2. Section 570.844, Florida Statutes, is created to
   38  read:
   39         570.844 Florida Young Farmer and Rancher Resource
   40  Clearinghouse.—The department shall establish on its website a
   41  clearinghouse for resources available to young and beginning
   42  farmers and ranchers, including, but not limited to, local,
   43  state, federal, and private sources of grants, loans, and
   44  scholarships, as well as general resources on finance and
   45  business planning. The clearinghouse also must include resources
   46  available to beginning agricultural producers who are veterans
   47  as defined in s. 1.01.
   48         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2018.