571.02 Purpose.—The purpose of this part is to authorize the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to adopt seals of quality to be used in advertising and promoting the sale of agricultural products produced in Florida and to provide controls in the use of such seals of quality.
(1) “Department” means the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
(2) “Person” means an individual, firm, partnership, corporation, association, business, trust, legal representative, or any other business unit.
(3) “Seal of quality” means any word, device, emblem, or symbol adopted by the department for the purpose of identifying and promoting the sale of high-quality agricultural products produced in Florida.
(4) “Reproduce” means to stencil, emboss, print, engrave, impress, imprint, lithograph, or duplicate in any manner or to cause any such acts to be done.
(5) “Agricultural product” includes any fresh or processed horticultural, aquacultural, viticultural, dairy, poultry, apicultural, or other farm or garden product.
(6) “Use of seal of quality” means to imprint a seal of quality on any produce package or container or to attach a reproduction of any seal of quality to any Florida agricultural product package or container of same, or to cause any such acts to be done, for the purpose of identifying any such product in its preparation for market or in any of the various steps in marketing.
571.04 Powers and duties of the department.—The duty of enforcing and administering this part is vested in the department, and the department is authorized to employ all agents and persons necessary therefor.
(1) All fees collected under this part shall be paid into the State Treasury and placed to the credit of the General Inspection Trust Fund, from which fund there shall be paid the expenses incurred in the enforcement and administration of this part to include publicizing, advertising, and promoting seals of quality and the agricultural products with which such seals of quality are used. The department may accept contributions of money or services to aid in any advertising or promotion work undertaken by it under authority of this part.
(2) The department may register any seal of quality with the Department of State of Florida, United States Patent Office, appropriate offices of other states of the United States and of foreign countries.
(3) The department, through its authorized representatives, is authorized to:
(a) Enter upon the premises, place of business, or vehicle of any applicant or licensee during normal business hours and conditions for the purpose of determining by inspection and examination the sufficiency of bookkeeping systems, accuracy of records, the agricultural products with which the seal of quality is used, articles purporting to be seals of quality or reproductions of same, and for the purpose of determining whether any other provision of this part or any rule adopted hereunder is being violated.
(b) Issue hold orders to owners and custodians and affix copy of same to seal of quality or reproduction of same in the possession of a nonlicensee; any seal of quality or reproduction of same that is an imitation or counterfeit; any agricultural product with which an imitation or counterfeit seal is used; any agricultural product on which a seal of quality is used after failure to make reports and remittance of advertising and promotion fees provided in this part and rules adopted hereunder; any agricultural product with which a seal of quality is used unless said product is labeled to indicate it is packaged by a licensee or to any agricultural product or article with which a seal of quality is used in violation of this part or rules adopted hereunder. Such hold order shall name and describe the product or article to which attached and the amount and address of same, give notice that the product or article to which attached is or is suspected of being sold, offered for sale, or held for the purpose of sale in violation of law or of rules specified in said order and said hold order shall give warning to all persons not to remove or dispose of such product or article by sale or otherwise until permission is granted by the department or by order of court.
571.05 Rules.—The department by rule may design, determine, and adopt seals of quality for use in publicizing, advertising, and promoting agricultural products; prescribe minimum standards of quality and grade of agricultural products with which a seal of quality may be used; name and define market packages of agricultural products; fix a reasonable and equitable advertising and promotion fee for such market package of agricultural products; and otherwise adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the provisions of this part.
571.06 License; application, fee, and conditions.—
(1) Application for license to reproduce or use a seal of quality shall be made to the department on application forms supplied by the department. Anyone making application and payment of license fee in the amount of $10 and meeting other qualifications required under this part and rules adopted hereunder shall be granted license for which applied. Such license shall be valid for 1 year from date of issue. The department, however, may refuse to issue a license to any person whose license has been revoked until such person demonstrates to the department that he or she no longer will violate the provisions of this part or rules adopted hereunder.
(2) Issue of license shall be conditioned upon the applicant’s satisfying the department that he or she has an adequate bookkeeping system, that he or she keeps and will keep at all times all records necessary to indicate accurately the total volume of agricultural products on which the seal of quality has been used, that such records shall be open at all times for periodic inspection and examination by auditors of the department. The volume and kind of agricultural products on which the seal of quality has been used shall be reported monthly, quarterly, semiannually, or annually as prescribed by rule of the department and such report shall be made with remittance of the advertising and promotion fee applicable not later than the 20th day of the month following the period covered by the report. The report shall be made under oath and on forms furnished by the department. If the report is not filed and advertising and promotion fee paid on the date due or if the report be false, the amount of fee due is subject to a penalty of 10 percent, which shall be added to the advertising and promotion fee and paid therewith.
571.07 Suspension or revocation of license.—The department, after finding that a licensee has violated any of the provisions of this part or rules adopted hereunder, may revoke the license of any licensee or suspend such license for not more than 1 year.
571.08 Unlawful acts.—It is unlawful for any person:
(1) To remove or dispose of any hold order or any detained agricultural product or article by sale or otherwise without permission of the department or by order of court.
(2) To reproduce or use any seal of quality without license or in violation of the provisions of this part or rules adopted hereunder.
(3) To supply any seal of quality or reproduction of same to any unauthorized person.
(4) To make, reproduce, or use any seal of quality that is an imitation or counterfeit.
(5) To market any agricultural product with which an imitation or counterfeit seal of quality is used.
(6) To market any agricultural product with which a seal of quality is used unless the container of such product is labeled to indicate the name of the licensee.
(7) To fail to report the volume and kind of agricultural product on which a seal of quality has been used and make remittance of advertising and promotion fee when due as provided by rule.
(8) To mislead or deceive, use any imitation, counterfeit, or likeness of the seal of quality on any label, tag, seal, container, sign, or otherwise of any agricultural product of any kind or description for any purpose whatsoever or to mislead or deceive, use any emblem or counterfeit likeness thereof upon or in connection with any offer to sell or advertise for sale or use of any agricultural product of any kind or description which does not in fact lawfully bear a seal of quality.
(9) To fail to do any act required or to do any act prohibited by this part or rules adopted hereunder.
571.09 Penalties.—Any person violating any of the provisions of this part or rules adopted hereunder shall for the first offense be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083, and for each succeeding offense shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
571.10 Injunction.—In addition to the remedies provided in this part and notwithstanding the existence of any adequate remedy at law, the department is authorized to make application for injunction to a circuit judge, and such circuit judge shall have jurisdiction upon a hearing and for cause shown to grant a temporary or permanent injunction, or both, restraining any person from violating or continuing to violate any of the provisions of this part or from failing or refusing to comply with the requirements of this part or any rule adopted hereunder, such injunction to be issued without bond.
571.11 Eggs and poultry; seal of quality violations; administrative penalties.—
(1) The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services may impose an administrative fine in the Class II category pursuant to s. 570.971 against any dealer, as defined in s. 583.01(4), in violation of the guidelines for the Florida seal of quality for eggs or poultry programs. All fines, when imposed and paid, shall be deposited by the department into the General Inspection Trust Fund.
(2) Whenever any administrative order has been made and entered by the department imposing a fine pursuant to this section, the order shall specify the amount of fine and time limit for payment thereof, not exceeding 15 days, and, upon failure of the dealer to pay the fine within that time, the permit of the dealer issued under s. 500.12 shall be subject to suspension.
571.22 Legislative intent.—The Legislature finds that there is a need for a Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign to increase consumer awareness and expand the market for Florida’s agricultural products. The Legislature further finds that the Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign is a partnership between industry and the state to efficiently promote and advertise such products.
571.23 Definitions.—For purposes of this part, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(1) “Department” means the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
(2) “Person” means an individual, firm, partnership, corporation, association, business, trust, legal representative, or any other business unit.
(3) “Reproduce” means to stencil, emboss, print, engrave, impress, imprint, lithograph, or duplicate in any manner or to cause any such acts to be done.
(4) “Agricultural product” means any fresh or processed horticultural, aquacultural, viticultural, fish or seafood, dairy, poultry, apicultural, or other farm or garden product.
(5) “Division” means the Division of Marketing and Development of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
571.24 Purpose; duties of the department.—The purpose of this part is to authorize the department to establish and coordinate the Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign. The Legislature intends for the Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign to serve as a marketing program to promote Florida agricultural commodities, value-added products, and agricultural-related businesses and not as a food safety or traceability program. The duties of the department shall include, but are not limited to:
(1) Developing logos and authorizing the use of logos as provided by rule.
(2) Registering participants.
(3) Assessing and collecting fees.
(4) Collecting rental receipts for industry promotions.
(5) Developing in-kind advertising programs.
(6) Contracting with media representatives for the purpose of dispersing promotional materials.
(7) Adopting rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the provisions of this part.
(8) Enforcing and administering the provisions of this part, including measures ensuring that only Florida agricultural or agricultural based products are marketed under the “Fresh From Florida” or “From Florida” logos or other logos of the Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign.
(1) Any person who participates in the Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign shall register annually with the department in a form and manner as required by the department. Each person shall renew his or her registration on the anniversary date of his or her original membership.
(2) The department is hereby authorized to establish by rule, registration and renewal fees sufficient to cover the cost of administering the Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign, including all personnel costs. Fees shall be deposited in the Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign Trust Fund.
571.26 Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign Trust Fund.—There is hereby created the Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign Trust Fund within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to receive all moneys related to the Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign. Moneys deposited in the trust fund shall be appropriated for the sole purpose of implementing the Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign, except for money deposited in the trust fund pursuant to 1s. 212.20(6)(d)6.h., which shall be held separately and used solely for the purposes identified in s. 571.265.
1Note.—Redesignated as s. 212.20(6)(d)6.f. to conform to the redesignation of existing sub-subparagraphs by s. 17, ch. 2023-173.
571.265 Promotion of Florida thoroughbred breeding and of thoroughbred racing at Florida thoroughbred tracks; distribution of funds.—
(1) For purposes of this section, the term:
(a) “Association” means the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, Inc.
(b) “Permitholder” has the same meaning as in s. 550.002(23).
(2) Funds deposited into the Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign Trust Fund pursuant to s. 212.20(6)(d)6.f. shall be used by the department to encourage the agricultural activity of breeding thoroughbred racehorses in this state and to enhance thoroughbred racing conducted at thoroughbred tracks in this state as provided in this section. If the funds made available under this section are not fully used in any one fiscal year, any unused amounts shall be carried forward in the trust fund into future fiscal years and made available for distribution as provided in this section.
(3) The department shall distribute the funds made available under this section as follows:
(a) Five million dollars shall be distributed to the association to be used for the following:
1. Purses or purse supplements for Florida-bred or Florida-sired horses registered with the association that participate in Florida thoroughbred races.
2. Awards to breeders of Florida-bred horses registered with the association that win, place, or show in Florida thoroughbred races.
3. Awards to owners of stallions who sired Florida-bred horses registered with the association that win Florida thoroughbred stakes races, if the stallions are registered with the association as Florida stallions standing in this state.
4. Other racing incentives connected to Florida-bred or Florida-sired horses registered with the association that participate in thoroughbred races in Florida.
5. Awards administration.
6. Promotion of the Florida thoroughbred breeding industry.
(b) Five million dollars shall be distributed to Tampa Bay Downs, Inc., to be used as purses in thoroughbred races conducted at its pari-mutuel facilities and for the maintenance and operation of that facility, pursuant to an agreement with its local majority horsemen’s group.
(c) Fifteen million dollars shall be distributed to Gulfstream Park Racing Association, Inc., to be used as purses in thoroughbred races conducted at its pari-mutuel facility and for the maintenance and operation of its facility, pursuant to an agreement with the Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, Inc.
(d) Two and one-half million dollars shall be distributed as follows:
1. Two million dollars to Gulfstream Park Racing Association, Inc., to be used as purses and purse supplements for Florida-bred or Florida-sired horses registered with the association that participate in thoroughbred races at the permitholder’s pari-mutuel facility, pursuant to a written agreement filed with the department establishing the rates, procedures, and eligibility requirements entered into by the permitholder, the association, and the Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, Inc.
2. Five hundred thousand dollars to Tampa Bay Downs, Inc., to be used as purses and purse supplements for Florida-bred or Florida-sired horses registered with the association that participate in thoroughbred races at the permitholder’s pari-mutuel facility, pursuant to a written agreement filed with the department establishing the rates, procedures, and eligibility requirements entered into by the permitholder, the association, and the local majority horsemen’s group at the permitholder’s pari-mutuel facility.
(4) On or before the first day of the August following each fiscal year in which a recipient under this section received or used funds pursuant to this section, each such recipient must submit a report to the department detailing how all funds were used in the prior fiscal year.
571.27 Rules.—The department is authorized to adopt rules that implement, make specific, and interpret the provisions of this part. The department is further authorized to determine, by rule, the logos or product identifiers to be depicted for use in advertising, publicizing, and promoting the sale of Florida agricultural products or agricultural-based products in the Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign. The department may also adopt rules consistent with the provisions of this part as in its judgment may be necessary for participant registration, renewal of registration, classes of membership, application forms, and other forms and enforcement measures ensuring compliance with this part.
(1) It is unlawful for any person to use, reproduce, or distribute the “Fresh From Florida” or “From Florida” logos or other logos of the Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign without being registered with the department, or to otherwise violate the provisions of this part or any rules adopted under this part.
(2) It is unlawful for any person to use, reproduce, or distribute the “Fresh From Florida” or “From Florida” logos or other logos of the Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign on any agricultural or agricultural-based products that are not Florida products.
(3) The department may enter an order imposing one or more of the following penalties against any person who violates any of the provisions of this part or any rules adopted under this part:
(a) Issuance of a warning letter.
(b) Imposition of an administrative fine in the Class I category pursuant to s. 570.971 for each violation for a first-time offender. For a second-time offender or a person who is shown to have willfully and intentionally violated this part or any rules adopted under this part, the administrative fine shall be in the Class II category pursuant to s. 570.971 for each violation. The term “each violation” means each incident in which a logo of the Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign has been used, reproduced, or distributed in any manner inconsistent with this part or the rules adopted under this part.
(c) Revocation or suspension of any registration issued by the department.
The administrative proceedings that could result in the entry of an order imposing any of the penalties specified in paragraphs (a)-(c) shall be conducted pursuant to chapter 120.
(4) Any person who commits a violation of the provisions of this part or rules adopted under this part is, for the first offense, guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083, and is, for each succeeding offense, guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
571.301 Injunction.—In addition to the remedies provided in this part and notwithstanding the existence of any adequate remedy at law, the department is authorized to make application for injunction to a circuit judge, and such circuit judge shall have jurisdiction upon a hearing for cause shown to grant a temporary or permanent injunction, or both, restraining any person from violating or continuing to violate any provisions of this part or from failing or refusing to comply with the requirements of this part or any rule adopted hereunder, such injunction to be issued without bond.
