Wilton Simpson praises proposal to protect farmers and hunters from drones in 2025 Florida Farm Bill

Flying drone above the wheat field

Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson is celebrating provisions in the 2025 Florida Farm Bill aimed at protecting Florida farmers and hunters from what his office describes as “drone harassment.”

The measure would prohibit the use of drones on agriculture lands unless the property owner provides approval. It would also prohibit drones on or near private property, state hunting lands or shooting ranges if the intent of the drone use was to harass.

“Florida’s farmers, ranchers, and hunters are facing increasing harassment from drones — whether it’s interfering with farm operations, harassing livestock, or disrupting lawful hunting and shooting activities,” Simpson said. “The Florida Farm Bill takes a strong stand to protect the rights of those who feed our families and manage our natural resources from coordinated and intentional harassment.”

Added Rep. Danny Alvarez: “Our farmers and hunters are the backbone of Florida’s heritage, and they deserve to be protected from those who would use drones to intimidate and disrupt them. I’m glad to see Commissioner Simpson lead forward and fight back against those who would try to cause them harm.”

The Farm Bill (SB 700, HB 651), sponsored by Sen. Keith Truenow and Rep. Kaylee Tuck, would also return decisions regarding solar farms on agriculture lands to local governments; prohibit financial institutions from denying service to agriculture producers based on environmental policies or emission targets; open tax exemption opportunities; implement new policies to ensure access to fuel in rural areas during emergencies such as hurricanes; implement new consumer protections; and support agriculture education programs.

“Florida’s farmers, ranchers, and hunters should not have to worry about being harassed by drones while they are simply going about their work or enjoying our great outdoors,” Truenow said. “I am proud to stand with Florida’s agriculture and hunting communities and commend Commissioner Wilton Simpson for supporting clear protections to prevent bad actors from using drones to disrupt lawful activities.”

Tuck pointed to “the radical left and animal rights activists” as bad actors who “harass and intimidate Florida’s farmers, ranchers, and hunters.”

“Commissioner Wilton Simpson understands the importance of standing up for our way of life, and this bill ensures that property rights and hunting rights are protected from aerial surveillance and harassment. I’m proud to sponsor this legislation alongside Senator Truenow,” she said.

The bill contains some provisions that may receive pushback from Democrats in both chambers, though such protestations are unlikely to gain traction in the supermajority GOP-controlled Legislature.

The measure includes Second Amendment protections, including updating the state’s concealed weapon license application process to eliminate the potential suspension of gun ownership rights “until receipt of the final disposition or proof of restoration of civil and firearm rights.” Instead, it allows rights to be extended “up to an additional 90 days” from the time a criminal history screening identifies a crime that “may disqualify the applicant” from gun ownership.

The bills also seek to add new consumer protections. That includes a resurfaced effort to prohibit the labeling of plant-based products as milk or meat. The measures would also create an “Honest Services Registry,” which would feature charitable organizations that do not solicit or include funds from foreign countries of concern.

It would also require businesses to clearly mark prices on all items and eliminate an outdated law that allowed for pricing to be optional.

The bills would also eliminate a loophole that allows for the sale of psychedelic mushrooms, and would create a state felony for stealing checks out of mailboxes.

One provision likely to raise eyebrows would prohibit the addition of non-water quality additives to public water systems, which would apply to fluoride. Water fluoridation has become a hot topic in recent months as newly appointed U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pushes to remove it from drinking water sources.

On emergency preparedness, the measures would create a retail fuel registration program to support a reliable fuel supply during emergencies and establish a grant program for fiscally constrained counties along evacuation routes to help them purchase generator power switches for gas stations, which cannot operate without power.

The measures would also protect 4-H and FFA programs at schools from local zoning laws, with an exemption ensuring agriculture facilities on school property where programs are in place.

“This bill is about defending freedom — freedom for our farmers to work their land without interference and freedom for our hunters to enjoy their sport without harassment. Under Commissioner Wilton Simpson’s leadership and with the work of Senator Truenow and Representative Tuck, we are making it clear that Florida stands with those who put food on our tables and uphold our outdoor traditions,” said Sen. Danny Burgess.