Latest news with #FloridaDepartmentofAgriculture
Miami Herald
11-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Rodents might get food sales shut down at a Fort Lauderdale Family Dollar
The rodent problem at a Fort Lauderdale Family Dollar worsened to the point that a state inspector has threatened to shut down all food sales if it's not taken care of by the next inspection. The store already can't receive new food after Tuesday's re-inspection. In other Miami metropolitan area problems for the Dollar Tree-owned chain, employees who use the restroom at two North Miami Family Dollar stores can't properly wash their hands. READ MORE: Publix recalls baby food from all stores. The lead content might be too high Stores such as Family Dollar get inspected by the Florida Department of Agriculture. While restaurant inspectors from the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation shut down a restaurant for a failed inspection, Ag Department inspectors most powerful punishments are Stop-Use Orders on areas and equipment and Stop Sale Orders on products. The Fort Lauderdale store in question already got smacked with a Stop-Use Order. Things got worse on Tuesday. READ MORE: Rodent dung found on pet food shelves at a Fort Lauderdale Family Dollar 951 Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale Inspector Timothy O'Neil slapped a Stop-Use Order on the pet food aisle of the Fort Lauderdale store at 951 Sunrise Blvd. on April 21 after seeing rodent droppings on the shelves. The inspection stated evidence of rodents during the re-inspection would get the receiving areas shut down. As it was written, so did it happen. 'Rodent droppings were found on bucket lids stored on a shelf near the back door,' Tuesday's re-inspection stated. 'Rodent droppings were found on the floor next to the mop sink.' The Stop-Use Order on the pet food aisle remained and was joined by Stop-Use Orders on the receiving area and backroom storage. 'If evidence of pest infestation is observed on the next scheduled inspection, a Stop Sale Order of all food items will be issued,' the inspection promised. Also, this store doesn't have a valid 2025 2025 food permit. READ MORE: A food truck with mysterious water among worst Miami restaurant inspections Hot water over no hot water Two North Miami stores, 13400 NE Third Ct. and 1450 NE 123rd St., failed state inspections on Thursday and Friday because there was 'No hot water available' in the employee restroom handwash sinks. Each has 14 days from the inspection to get that problem handled.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Bill that will regulate the hemp industry passes unanimously in Florida Senate
(Photo by) For the second year in a row, the Florida Senate has approved new regulations on hemp-derived THC products in Florida, although this time the proposal includes limitations on the industry's hottest new product, THC-infused beverages. Polk County Republican Sen. Colleen Burton has led the charge in attempting to place some restrictions on these intoxicating products, which have emerged since the state legalized hemp in 2019. Since then, some states have banned all such products, while others have heavily regulated them. Burton said that people have asked her why is she trying to regulate an industry that has been established in Florida for years. She said hemp-derived THC products are 'causing harm to Floridians.' 'We have retailers in the state of Florida that are selling products that are intoxicating,' she said. 'They are selling products that are putting adults and children in the hospital. And, sadly, they are selling products that are causing the deaths of Floridians.' She alluded to a Jacksonville television station's website, which reported this week on a Georgia woman who believes her 25-year-old son's death from heart disease was caused by ingesting Delta-8 gummies. 'That young man did not know that what he was ingesting was going to hurt him,' Burton said. The bill (SB 438) bans all Delta-8 products and limits the amount of Delta-9 hemp-derived products to no more than five milligrams per serving or 50 milligrams per container. It limits the amount of THC in hemp-infused drinks to five milligrams per container. Such drinks could only be sold through a retailer holding a liquor license. It requires that each final batch of hemp extract must be tested in a certified marijuana testing laboratory before it may be sold in the state, with results verified and signed by two laboratory employees. The lab would determine whether the product meets the definition of hemp and hemp extract. During a combined Florida House workgroup formed to study the hemp industry earlier in the session, the owner of a Lakeland testing lab that contracted with the Florida Department of Agriculture to test cannabis and hemp products appeared. He testified that his lab tested 50 out of 53 flower hemp samples from different smoke/hemp shops across the state that were over the legal 0.3% Delta 9 THC limit, and found contaminants in these products. 'These are very intoxicating products,' said Southeast Florida Republican Sen. Gayle Harrell. 'They're addicting products at the end of the day. And people need to know that. … We need to make sure that people know what they're buying. And we have seen so many fly-by-night places selling hemp — 'safe hemp' — and the THC levels are higher than the medical marijuana that you can get in a dispensary.' The bill prohibits businesses and food establishments permitted to sell hemp products from advertising 'in a manner' visible to the public from any street, sidewalk, park, or other public place. Florida law already bans marketing THC-hemp in a way that might attract children. The bill expands that definition to include containers displaying toys or other features that target children and products manufactured in a form or packaged in a container that bears any 'reasonable remembrance to a branded food product in a way that the product could mistaken for the branded food product, especially by children.' And it says that all such products must be placed out of the reach of customers, either in a controlled area accessible only to employees or in a locked display case, excluding hemp-infused beverages. A similar bill passed unanimously in the Florida Senate a year ago, but Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed it following heavy lobbying from the hemp industry. Grateful for the reprieve, several hemp entrepreneurs helped fund DeSantis' campaign to bring down Amendment 3, the proposed constitutional amendment that would have legalized the recreational use of cannabis for adults 21 and over. Jacksonville Democrat Tracie Davis, who co-sponsored the bill, acknowledged in her closing statement that the bill wasn't significantly different than last year's version. 'This was a bill that was vetoed,' she said. 'There's not that much that's different from last year's bill that was vetoed.' The vote in favor was unanimous. The House version (HB 7027) is now sponsored by Panhandle Republican Rep. Michelle Salzman. It has two more committees to go through before reaching the floor of that chamber. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Are there burn bans near me in Florida today? Here's where, what to know about fire danger
Florida's dry season – which typically lasts through the end of April – is giving way to fires throughout the state, which means burn bans are in effect for some regions. Florida forecasters are continuing to warn residents of the elevated fire danger around the state Wednesday, although Tuesday's rains gave some relief to a few counties. There were 50 wildfires reported in Florida on the morning of Wednesday, March 26, down from 55 on Tuesday and 67 on Monday. The number of acres burned stands at just over 28,000. Most of Florida's peninsula is abnormally dry as of now, with two large sections of the state currently under severe drought conditions, according to the Florida Department of Emergency Management. If you live in one of the areas currently under a burn ban, you could be fined for burning outside. Here's what to know about burn bans in Florida this week. Florida statewide forecast: As March closes, what's your weekend weather forecast? What about fires? Rain? If you don't know, burn bans go into effect when there's an increased presence of fire risk and prohibit residents in the affected area from burning anything outside for a temporary period of time. According to the Florida Department of Agriculture, 'Local burn bans are enacted by county governments. State burn bans are enacted by the state government and cover larger areas.' As of Wednesday, March 26, there is no statewide burn ban in effect in Florida, but there are six county-enacted burn bans in central and southwest Florida, according to the Florida Forest Service's burn ban map. Note that burning yard debris is always prohibited in Duval, Orange, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. Here are the counties currently under a burn ban, as of Wednesday, March 26, according to the map: Charlotte County Collier County Glades County Hendry County Highlands County Sarasota County Map of Florida fires: Wildfires continue to burn across Florida. Yes. If you burn in an area where there is a burn ban in effect in Florida, you could be fined up to $500 and put in jail for up to 60 days. While there are active burn bans in effect in southwest Florida, there are a few active fires in southeast and east-central Florida as of March 26. The biggest fire in the state continues to be the 344 Fire in south Miami-Dade County, which burned 26,719 acres as of last Tuesday afternoon, according to the Florida Forest Service. It is now 85% contained. Card Sound Road, one of only two routes to the Florida Keys, remained closed Wednesday morning, a week after visibility concerns and firefighting efforts prompted the road to be closed originally, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. U.S. 1 is open. Here's an interactive map of fires nationwide: Annually, during Florida's dry season – which runs from November 1 through April 30 – there's a heightened risk of fire. 'Each year, thousands of acres of wildland and many homes are destroyed by fires that can erupt at any time of the year from a variety of causes, including arson, lightning, and debris burning,' Florida Disaster's website says. 'Adding to the fire hazard is the growing number of people living in new communities built in areas that were once wildland.' 'Nearly half of Florida is covered in forests, land that is both fire-dependent and fire-prone,' The Florida Department of Agriculture's website says. 'As the population of our state continues to increase, most communities are part of the wildland urban interface, meaning they are near forests and wooded areas and are at risk for wildfire.' According to the Department of Agriculture, arson and escaped yard debris burning are the two leading causes of wildfires in Florida. To read more about burning yard waste safely, prepping your yard and home, reporting arson and prepping an emergency supply kit, you can visit the Florida Department of Agriculture's guide to being wildfire ready. This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Florida fires: Here's a map of active fires, Counties under burn bans
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Is marijuana legal in Florida? No, but federal loophole offers an alternative.
After Florida's Amendment 3 meant to legalize marijuana and enshrine it in the state constitution failed to pass, those hoping for legalization are looking toward the midterm elections for a second chance. But in the meantime, is there any marijuana legal in Florida? Yes, and no. There are medical avenues and some loopholes companies are using to sell marijuana in Florida. Here's what to know. Recreational use of marijuana is currently illegal in the state of Florida. During the 2024 General Election, Amendment 3 failed to garner 60% of the vote to legalize recreational use of marijuana. However, Florida does allow the use of medical marijuana for residents diagnosed with specific conditions and have applied and received a Medical Marijuana ID Card. Florida Rep. Alex Andrade sponsored HB 555 earlier in February, a bill that would allow anyone with a medical marijuana card to grow up to two cannabis plants in their home for personal use. The proposed bill would also extend medical marijuana card renewals to every two years. Although recreationally illegal, there are loopholes used in 2018 federal legislation to sell marijuana-like products that are federally allowed, such as delta-8 THC. Delta-8 products typically have milder psychoactive effects than delta-9 THC, the cannabinoid that gives 'real' marijuana its high. Marijuana and hemp are both types of cannabis sativa plants. The kind of weed that you buy in dispensaries comes from marijuana plants, whereas CBD and delta-8 THC both come from hemp plants. It is psychoactive, meaning it can get you "high," though many users describe it as a sort of "diet weed" with weaker effects than delta-9 THC, the intoxicating component found in marijuana. Much of delta-8 is not sourced directly from the plant. Since the compound only occurs naturally in trace amounts, most delta-8 products are refined from cannabidiol, or CBD, which is much more plentiful in hemp. These synthetic products have alarmed some legislators and medical professionals, who worry that an unregulated refinement process might result in dangerous chemicals finding their way into consumer products. This led Florida legislators to passing SB 1698 in 2024, which bans delta-8 products statewide. However, Gov. Ron DeSantis later vetoed the bill. Not being allowed to sell and consume marijuana recreationally hasn't stopped smoke shops, vape shops and even some gas stations from selling "diet weed" gummies or joints throughout the state, but how is that possible? A loophole in the 2018 Farm Bill, which allowed the sale of hemp that has low levels of delta-9 THC, apparently federally allows the sale of hemp-based products that do not exceed a certain threshold of THC concentration. According to the Florida Department of Agriculture, hemp cannot exceed 0.3% THC on a dry weight basis. Delta-8 THC is unregulated by the FDA, though. Which means that any delta-8 THC products that you buy are not federally supervised or regulated in any way and could spark health issues, according to an FDA warning. If you do not have a Medical Marijuana Card or Medical Marijuana Caregiver Card, there are penalties you could face if caught with marijuana. Marijuana advocacy group NORML lists the following penalties if caught under Florida Statutes: Possessing 20 grams or less: first-degree misdemeanor, up to one year in jail and maximum $1,000 fine. Possession of paraphernalia: Misdemeanor, up to one year in jail and maximum $1,000 fine. Possessing marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school, college, park or other specified areas: Felony, mandatory three-year sentence and maximum $10,000 fine. Possessing from 20 grams: to 25 pounds: Felony, up to five years in jail and maximum $5,000 fine. Possessing from 25 to 2,000 pounds of marijuana: First-degree felony, from three to 15 years in jail and $25,000 fine. Possessing from 2,000 to 10,000 pounds of marijuana: First-degree felony, from seven to 30 years and $50,000 fine. Possessing more than 10,000 pounds of marijuana: First-degree felony, from 15 to 30 years and $200,000 fine. Some communities and municipalities have decriminalized possession of up to 20 grams of marijuana, including Alachua County, Broward County, Cocoa Beach, Hallandale Beach, Key West, Miami Beach, Miami-Dade County, Orlando, Osceola County, Palm Beach County, Port Richey, Sarasota, Tampa and Volusia County. Looking ahead to the 2026 midterm elections, Smart & Safe Florida is gathering signatures from Florida residents to put a new amendment on the ballot to legalize recreational marijuana. The company's new ballot summary only slightly differs from the original that appeared before voters in 2024 but does address some of the criticisms DeSantis had during the last election cycle. The full summary says: "Allows adults 21 and older to possess, purchase, or use marijuana for non-medical consumption. Establishes possession limits. Prohibits marketing and packaging attractive to children. Prohibits smoking and vaping in public. Maintains prohibition on driving under influence. Applies to Florida law; does not change, or immunize violations of, federal law. Allows Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers to acquire, cultivate, process, transport, and sell marijuana to adults. Provides for creation of licenses for non-medical marijuana businesses." Some of the largest changes includes an explicit statement of prohibiting smoking or vaping marijuana in public places as well as decreasing the proposed carry limit of 3 ounces to 2 ounces. Contributors: Lianna Norman of Palm Beach Post, Anna Kaufman of USA TODAY, C.A. Bridges of USA TODAY. This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Is weed legal in Florida? Medical marijuana, delta-8 what to know
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
A roach on a cooler wasn't why a Miami 7-Eleven had to trash bacon and cheeseburgers
Inspectors put two coolers at a Miami 7-Eleven on the Do Not Use list and the trash was the new home for bacon, cheeseburgers, milk, Jamaican meat patties and other food in one of those coolers. Stop Sale and Stop Use Orders flowed freely from Florida Department of Agriculture Inspector Julio Azpura and inspector trainee Lourdes Chantez Tuesday at the downtown 7-Eleven on the corner of Northeast First Street and Second Avenue. READ MORE: Pepto Bismol in kitchen. Bugs in rice. Miami restaurants with over 30 violations ▪ 'Tongs used by customers to pick up hot dogs, cheese hamburgers, and a spatula for pizza, as well as tongs used by employees, were not cleaned and sanitized at least every four hours.' ▪ 'Roach crawling on the right side of a self-serve reach-in cooler.' ▪ But, the bigger problem with the reach-in cooler, which should be keeping food at 41 degrees or under, was it measured 44 to 48 degrees. A Stop Use Order came down on the unit. A barrage of Stop Sales sending all the food in the unit, including yogurt, sandwiches, raw bacon, cheese, watermelon and desserts, into the garbage. ▪ The walk-in cooler had the same problem. So, it makes sense that the milk measured a dangerously balmy 48 degrees and Jamaican beef patties and pizzas came in at 46 to 48 degrees. All that food got hit with Stop Sales. A Stop Use Order ended the cooler's day. READ MORE: Unsafe milk, tequeños and cheeseburgers among a Miami 7-Eleven's inspection problems ▪ The handwash sink next to a restroom lacked paper towels or any way to dry hands other than your shirt or flapping. Better than lacking hot water, the deficiency in a prep area handwash sink. ▪ A food service area handwash sink leaked when used. ▪ 'Food employees do not wear effective hair restraints while working with open food items.' READ MORE: Old food. Misplaced Butt Paste. Bakery roaches. A Broward Winn-Dixie had some issues ▪ The mop sink didn't have an appropriately installed backflow protection device, which is sort of a prophylactic protecting the sink and the room in case a sewage backup threatens to leave the place smelling like fertilizer. ▪ In the back area with that mop sink, 'Soil and food debris were on the floor under and around the reach-in freezers, under bag-in-box soda dispensers, near the warewash sink and underneath the display case.' ▪ No ingredients list — and, thus, no listing of possible allergens for folks with a food allergy — was available for pan de bono, guava pastelitos and other bakery items in the hot case.
