INDUSTRY ISSUES

Concerned Property Owners of Polk County

We work hard to protect your rights as a property owner and member of our community. Spearheading the grassroots effort to protect your private property rights along the Scenic Highway is one example of your membership at work.

Click here for the Hometown Democracy Initiative Update from the Coalition for Property Rights.

Southwest Florida Water Management District

The mission of the District is to manage water and related natural resources to ensure their continued availability while maximizing environmental, economic and recreational benefits. Central to the mission is maintaining the balance between the water needs of current and future users while protecting and maintaining water and related natural resources which provide the District with its existing and future water supply. The Governing Board of the District assumes its responsibilities as authorized in Chapter 373 and other chapters of the Florida Statutes by directing a wide range of programs, initiatives and actions. These include, but are not limited to, flood protection, water use, well construction and environmental resource permitting, water conservation, education, land acquisition, water resource and supply development and supportive data collection and analysis efforts.

Read Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Report

March 2009 – includes information on the water shortage orders, free upcoming workshop for growers, current rainfall data, & more!

 

Numeric Nutrient Criteria: EPA Proposed Regulation Detrimental to Florida Agriculture & Business

ISSUE:
Because of a lawsuit filed by environmental groups, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in the process of developing strict new regulations on Florida's streams, lakes, and canals by January, 2010.  Known as numeric nutrient criteria, these arbitrary regulations would apply only to Florida, and could cause wide ranging impacts to families and business across the state.

IMPACT:
Over the past ten years or so, Florida has spent millions of dollars evaluating the quality of its water and putting in place practices that are effective in further cleaning up Florida's waters.  Florida Farm Bureau and other agricultural groups have played an important role in this process, encouraging the development and implementation of Best Management Practices which have made a positive impact on Florida's water quality.

By imposing a unilateral federal regulation, EPA would essentially be undoing the work already underway by the state agencies that are most familiar with Florida's unique needs.

ACTION:
Florida Farm Bureau and many other agricultural groups have partnered with business interests to form the Florida Water Quality Coalition.  This coalition is working to stop this federal regulation in the courts, through regulatory bodies and by working with Florida's Congressional delegation.

Click Here To View a letter from The Coalition to Florida's Congressional delegation

Click Here For More Detailed Information & to read the Coalition's Statement of Concern

Click Here For More Information about the Public Comment Period ending March 29,2010

For additional resources visit: www.donttaxflorida.com

FFBF and the coalition are asked that Florida's members of Congress urge EPA to reconsider its actions and withdraw the determination that Florida adopt the numeric nutrient standards by the January 2010 deadline.

New EDIS Fact Sheet Describes EPA’s Numeric Nutrient Criteria

A diverse group of 13 faculty representing nine IFAS units has written a 10-page fact sheet called “A Guide to EPA’s Proposed Numeric Nutrient Water Quality Criteria for Florida.” The purpose of this publication is to provide a basic, concise, and understandable description of the nutrient criteria, the background events that led to its release, some pertinent scientific issues, and implications for the future. It is a document that should be useful to many.

To access this document click here