"Advocates for human health and the environment are pushing back against a Florida farm bill that would punish the spread of “false information” about agriculture, decrying a measure they say violates free speech rights and silences public debate about harmful farming practices.
The controversial provision took center stage at a Florida House Agriculture & Natural Resources Budget subcommittee meeting on Wednesday, when about 20 members of the public came from across the state to voice their opposition.
Section 47 of Florida House Bill 433 (HB 433) would amend an existing Florida food libel law, allowing agricultural producers to pursue compensatory and punitive damages and attorney fees from people who disparage food products or farming practices by publicly spreading “false information that an agricultural food product is not safe for human consumption.”
A similar bill (SB 290) is currently stalled in the state’s Senate."
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