Staff Reports
Pages related to concealed weapon licenses, consumer protection and the Florida Forest Service were the most-viewed Web pages of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in 2015, according to a Tuesday news release.
“The department issued nearly 160,000 new concealed weapon licenses, recovered more than $3 million for Florida consumers, and hit an all-time national record for prescribed burns at more than 246,000 acres,” the release said.
The department gave some examples to explain the popularity in those areas:
- In 2015, a new online function was launched, allowing consumers to conduct a live chat regarding licensing issues for an enhanced customer service experience.
- (T)he department expanded its partnership with tax collectors in 15 counties in 2015, bringing to 20 the total number of locations statewide where consumers can apply for a concealed weapon license.
- The department found more than 160 skimmers on gas pumps statewide in 2015. A skimmer is a device that steals credit or debit card information when consumers swipe their cards at a pump to pay for gas. Consequently, Commissioner Adam Putnam is working with Sen. Anitere Flores and Rep. Dana Young on legislation to better protect consumers from such devices.
- The top complaint category — Do Not Call complaints — received 16,600 complaints, yet saw a 9 percent decrease in volume compared with 2014.
- Putnam said the Florida Forest Service treated more than 246,000 acres of state forests with prescribed fire during the past year, the highest number ever reported by a state forestry agency in United States history.
- The Florida Forest Service certified Blackwater River and Tate’s Hell State Forests, covering 413,000 acres, through one of the world’s most recognized and independent forest management certification standards, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.
For more information, go to FreshFromFlorida.com.
