DeSantis Signs Farm Bill in Sebring, Shielding Rural Florida from Local Restrictions

Governor Ron DeSantis signed the 2026 Florida Farm Bill into law Monday in Sebring, cementing a legislative victory for rural interests across the state.[1][2] The measure, officially designated SB 290, restricts local governments from prohibiting the use of gasoline-powered equipment on farms and landscaping operations, addressing a key concern for agricultural producers who have faced increasingly fragmented local regulations.[1][4] The bill's density restrictions represent another major component of the legislation. New requirements limit development in small municipalities to one unit per 20 acres, a change that requires unanimous local government approval to waive.[4] The measure also expands protections for agritourism activities on agricultural property, eliminating requirements for rural event venue permits or licenses in certain circumstances.[4] Additionally, the legislation makes the Farmers Feeding Florida program permanent, ensuring ongoing support for distributing Florida-grown food to local food banks.[2] Despite the bill's overwhelming legislative support, it drew Democratic concerns over provisions directing the Department of Environmental Protection to evaluate surplus state-owned conservation lands for potential agricultural use.[4] The measure takes effect July 1, 2026, and notably preserves local governments' ability to encourage alternative energy sources, such battery-powered equipment, even as it strips away their authority to mandate such transitions.[4] The farm bill continues a pattern established in recent years where DeSantis-backed agriculture measures have expanded state preemption over local authority. Previous legislative sessions have seen agriculture bills block foreign land purchases near military installations, ban cultivated meat production, and prevent local water fluoridation initiatives.[4] Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson championed the density changes as a means to make land more affordable for newcomers entering agricultural production.[4]