• protects Florida's livestock, honey bees, and crop plants from pests and diseases;
• manages over a million acres of state forest land for multiple uses, including timber, wildlife habitat, and recreation;
• acts as the state's clearinghouse for consumer concerns, whose call center analysts answer questions, provide information, and help resolve complaints; and
• tests for toxins, allergens, chemical contaminants, pesticide residues, food additives, and fraudulent formulations in food samples.

The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services accomplishes its mission through four major programs.

• Agricultural Economic Development Program works to strengthen Florida's agriculture to meet the needs of the world's growing population through six divisions (Animal Industry, Aquaculture, Food, Nutrition and Wellness, Fruit and Vegetables, Marketing and Development, and Plant Industry).
• Consumer Protection Program protects consumers and their property, as well as resources upon which they depend, from unlawful, unethical, and unsafe business practices through its two divisions (Agricultural Environmental Services and Consumer Services).
• Forest and Resource Protection Program, via the Florida Forest Service, manages over 1 million acres of state forest resources for future generations and protects the state from the dangers of wildland fire. The division is actively involved in wildfire prevention and providing assistance for private forest landowners.
• Food Safety and Quality Program is responsible for assuring the public of a safe, wholesome, and properly represented food supply through permitting and inspection of food establishments, inspection of food products, and performance of specialized laboratory analysis on a variety of food products sold or produced in the state (Division of Food Safety).

The department also houses the Division of Licensing, which administers Florida's concealed weapon licensing program and oversees Florida's private investigative, private security, and recovery services industries.

Also contained within the department's administrative budget category are three significant functions—the Offices of Agricultural Water Policy, Agricultural Law Enforcement, and Energy.

Agriculture and COVID-19. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has created a website with COVID-19 related business, consumer, and other agricultural information, COVID-19 Information. The site includes information on federal aid to businesses, and resources for consumers and agricultural producers. 

Hemp Labeling Requirements and Restrictions. The 2020 Legislature enacted Chapter 2020-135, Laws of Florida, which amends the definition for the term "hemp extract" to clarify that it does not include synthetic CBD or seeds or seed-derived ingredients that are generally recognized as safe by the United States Food and Drug Administration. The bill also removes from the label the statement that the product does not contain more than 0.3 percent THC on a dry-weight basis, and provides that hemp extract sold or distributed in the state in violation of the hemp labeling requirements is considered adulterated or misbranded. Additionally, the bill prohibits the sale of products that contain hemp extract intended for inhalation to persons under 21 years of age. 

Other Reports

2019 State Agriculture Overview Florida, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
2017-2018 Annual Report, FDACS Division of Fruit and Vegetables.

A complete list of Auditor General reports is available on its website.

The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Office of Inspector General reports are available on its website.

Websites of Interest
U.S. Department of Agriculture
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Federal Trade Commission

Performance Information

Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 1-800-HELP-FLA (1-800-435-7352)

Website