TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson today commended Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature for their commitment to funding key areas in the 2024-2025 state budget, focusing on agriculture, natural resources, and consumer protection.
TAMPA, Fla. – Governor Ron DeSantis signed the 'Focus on Florida’s Future' Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 today. The budget totals $116.5 billion, reflecting a reduction in overall state spending compared to the previous fiscal year. Significant investments are made in key areas such as education, law enforcement, disaster preparedness, economic development, and environmental conservation. The budget will also result in $17 billion remaining for budgetary reserves.
The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) has expressed approval for Governor Ron DeSantis' Focus on Florida’s Future Budget for the fiscal year 2024-25. The budget, which allocates over $28 billion to reinforce the state's educational leadership, includes substantial investments in teacher salaries, per-student funding, and school choice initiatives.
The Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) has released a proclamation directed at Florida state-chartered financial institutions and securities professionals concerning Invest 90L, which has led to flash flooding in South Florida
For the second consecutive year, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers participated in a joint operation organized and led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Law Enforcement. The operation aimed at protecting endangered sea turtles in and around the protected Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. In addition to the FWC, federal and state partners from NOAA’s Gear Monitoring Team and the U.S. Coast Guard joined the three-day operation. The goal was to enhance turtle excluder device (TED) inspections.
TAMPA, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis signed the ‘Focus on Florida’s Future’ Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025. The budget totals $116.5 billion, reflecting a reduction in overall state spending compared to the previous fiscal year. This budget will also result in $17 billion remaining for budgetary reserves and includes significant investments across various sectors.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is seeking meat processors and taxidermists from select counties to help test for chronic wasting disease (CWD). Partners in this program play a critical role in helping the FWC determine how many CWD-positive deer are in Florida and how much the disease has spread throughout the state. Meat processors selected for this program will receive $20 for each deer head submitted for testing, and taxidermists will receive $30 for each sample taken and submitted for testing.
Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 24-03 today, declaring a state of emergency across multiple counties in North Florida, including Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Calhoun, Citrus, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough and Holmes. This action comes in response to recent tornado activity affecting the region.
Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez announced today that registration for the 2024 Florida Python Challenge® is now open. Participants will have the opportunity to win a share of more than $25,000 in prizes for removing invasive Burmese pythons from the wild. Starting today, those interested can complete the required online training to compete in the 10-day competition, which runs from August 9–18, 2024. The competition is open to both professional and novice participants.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) hosted a license-free freshwater fishing weekend on June 8 and 9. The event aimed to encourage Florida residents and visitors of all ages and skill levels to participate in recreational fishing.
Tallahassee, Fla. — January is National Radon Action Month, a period during which the Florida Department of Health announces the winners of the 2024 Florida Radon Poster Contest. This annual contest encourages middle-school students across Florida to create original designs and concepts to educate their communities about the health risks associated with elevated indoor radon levels.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has announced the 2024 Lionfish Challenge, a summer-long lionfish tournament open to recreational and commercial competitors across Florida. Since its inception in 2016, the challenge has led to the removal of over 195,000 lionfish.
Measles cases in Broward County and a travel-related case in Central Florida have been reported to the Florida Department of Health (Department). Due to the highly contagious nature of measles, the Department is providing information to health care providers regarding the identification, testing, and management of suspected cases.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has issued its annual reminder that juvenile black bears may be seen in unexpected areas as they leave their mothers’ home ranges in search of new locations to settle. Spring marks an increase in bear activity after limited movements during winter.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program is currently accepting applications for a contracted nuisance alligator trapper in Martin County.
For over two decades, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Marine Stock Enhancement Research team has collaborated with school administrators, teachers, and students to integrate aquaculture and stock enhancement research into the classroom. The Aquaculture in the Classroom program targets students from fifth grade through college, teaching them basic principles of aquaculture, marine research, and the role of stock enhancement in supporting Florida’s marine fisheries.
The recreational harvest of gray triggerfish and greater amberjack in Gulf of Mexico state and federal waters closed on June 1 and will remain closed through July 31. Seasonal harvest closures aim to conserve Florida’s valuable fisheries for the future.
Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez, State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, Secretary Michelle Branham, and FIU Hospitality Professor and Chef John Noble Masi hosted a cooking class with Florida seniors.