TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson issued the following statement after the Florida Legislature passed and sent to Governor DeSantis Senate Bill 264, which protects Florida’s food supply by prohibiting China and other hostile foreign powers from purchasing agricultural lands and lands near critical infrastructure facilities:
“Food security is national security, and we have a responsibility to ensure Floridians have access to a safe, affordable and abundant food and water supply. China and other hostile foreign nations control hundreds of thousands of acres of critical agricultural lands in the U.S., leaving our food supply, our water quality and, our national security interests at risk. Restricting China and other hostile foreign nations from controlling Florida’s agricultural land and lands near critical infrastructure facilities protects our state, provides long-term stability and preserves our economic freedom.
“I thank Governor Ron DeSantis, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, House Speaker Paul Renner, Senator Jay Collins, and Representative David Borrero for their leadership on this issue and their commitment to protecting Florida and our security interests.”
