Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

William PatrickFebruary 2, 2017

Five years ago, the Florida Department of Agriculture turned its regulatory power on a small third-generation dairy farm in the Panhandle’s Calhoun County, population 14,462. The Ocheesee Creamery, as it’s known, was caught being a little too honest. Mary Lou Wesselhoeft, owner, was selling all-natural pasteurized skim milk — whole milk with the cream skimmed […]

Associated PressMay 4, 2016

The Florida Department of Agriculture will begin testing mosquitoes for the Zika virus. Commissioner Adam Putnam announced Tuesday that a department laboratory in Kissimmee is now equipped to test for the virus. The same laboratory is used to test for animal diseases. The department is working with mosquito control districts to distribute traps and train […]

Brendan FarringtonApril 1, 2016

A federal judge in Tallahassee agrees with the Florida Department of Agriculture that an all-natural creamery can’t label its skim milk “skim milk” because it doesn’t add vitamins to it. So unless an appeals court disagrees, Calhoun County’s Ocheesee Creamery will continue to dump perfectly good skim milk down the drain rather than comply with […]

Bill RuftyJanuary 12, 2016

The state of Florida is sitting on a building it cannot sell, but won’t give it to a local municipality which says it needs it. In his final year in the Florida House due to term limits, Winter Haven Republican Rep. John Wood said he and members of the Polk County delegation will be fighting […]

Tag: Florida Department of Agriculture

Small dairy farmer seeks First Amendment protection from state regulators

Florida now ready to test mosquitoes for Zika virus

Tallahassee judge says all-natural skim milk isn’t skim milk

John Wood says state needs to let go of Nora Mayo Hall