TALLAHASSEE, Florida — A state House panel on Wednesday advanced a Florida agriculture department bill after hearing about an hour of public testimony against a section protecting “non-perishable” agricultural products from disparaging speech.
Details: The state House Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget Subcommittee voted in support of the wide-ranging agency bill after its co-sponsor promised to listen to opponents, who claim the measure would protect the sugar industry or other farm corporations.
“We will stay here until midnight if we have to and order some pizzas and make sure everyone is heard,” state Rep. Daniel Antonio “Danny” Alvarez (R-Hillsborough County) told the subcommittee.
But Alvarez also said taking the language out of the bill would change little because state law already prohibits people from disparaging perishable agricultural products. He added he is for the First Amendment, isn’t trying to help “big anything,” in an apparent reference to the sugar industry, and that he was caught off guard by the criticism.
