Age
40
Education
B.A. Cum Laude – Major: Political Science – Minor: Criminal Justice at Florida Atlantic University; J.D at University of Toledo College of Law; Master’s Degree in International Economic Development at Milano School for Policy, Management, and Environment;
Hometown
Jupiter
County
Palm Beach County, Florida.
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/JoeyforFlorida
Campaign Phone
7867918426
I’m running to make Florida healthy and affordable again, and to protect our natural resources from overdevelopment. Just two examples of common-sense issues that aren’t covered in my other answers later on include cannabis legalization and protecting immigrant farm workers. A majority of Floridians voted to legalize cannabis in 2024, and researchers believe that legal access to cannabis could potentially alleviate the opioid addiction crisis among veterans. However current Commissioner Wilton Simpson has aggressively restricted hemp products and consistently thwarted attempts to legalize marijuana. Meanwhile, protecting immigrant farm workers would also help stabilize food costs by preventing artificial labor shortages, reducing crop spoilage, and saving farmers millions in turnover and recruitment expenses. When workers leave due to indiscriminate and extremist state government crackdowns or poor conditions, production plummets, driving up grocery prices due to scarcity.
I would strengthen and expand "Farm to Food Bank" Projects: Utilizing TEFAP Farm to Food Bank Project Grants helps local growers harvest, package, and transport less-marketable or excess crops directly to local feeding programs. I'd double down on programs like Farmers Feeding Florida to subsidize operational costs for local farmers while stabilizing the food bank supply chain.
I would advocate for and allocate more state budget dollars toward food bank infrastructure. Investing directly in cold-storage expansions and local distribution fleets allows contracted agencies to manage sudden influxes of USDA foods without incurring localized deficits.
I would implement stricter, more transparent pre-award audits on regional contractors to ensure that selected distribution agencies have the validated refrigeration, staff, and geographical outreach to fulfill their contracts before emergency food is bottlenecked. I would also establish cross-agency contingency plans with DCF.
I would support common-sense pro 2nd Amendment state-level public safety bills such as statewide safe storage mandates: requiring firearms in homes with minors to be secured with a trigger lock or inside a safe, and Universal Background Checks: endorsing bills that close private sale and gun show loopholes by requiring background checks for all firearm transfers.
I would work to actually implement the consensus-based scientific recommendations for water quality improvement made by Governor DeSantis’s Blue-Green Algae Task Force, including strengthening compliance and enforcement mechanisms with robust data-based water quality monitoring and explicit, measurable, science-based directives for policy change. Since the issuance of the Task Force recommendations, ecological conditions in Florida have not improved and, in many cases, they have worsened. At the same time, I’d also look to subsidize innovative waste conversion, for example proposing economic tax credits or grant incentives for livestock facilities to convert animal manure into commercial, stabilized bio-fertilizers, reducing raw waste runoff.
My philosophy is to fiercely protect Florida’s public and rural lands and agricultural heritage from overdevelopment. Left in their natural state, our lands keep an immense amount of climate pollution out of the atmosphere. FL loses an equivalent of 10 acres of natural and working lands every hour to development, and with them, the invaluable natural goods and services they provide. I also want to stop the rapid, unregulated sprawl of hyperscale AI data centers across Florida. AI data centers drive up electricity demand and costs, and strain water supplies from the Floridan aquifer: a single large data center can consume as much electricity as a small city. Working to ensure that recently enacted legislation prohibiting utility companies from passing the costs of AI grid upgrades onto consumers is actually enforced will be critical, however, massive developments in rural areas would still continue to threaten local habitats and natural resources.
The most critical issue facing Florida’s agriculture and forestry sectors is rapid urban sprawl and land-use conversion. Rising land values and population growth are accelerating the loss of vital rural and green spaces to residential development, which threatens both the state's economic viability and its natural ecosystems. Florida’s agriculture sector is undergoing rapid transformation due to biological shocks, environmental stressors, import competition, and accelerating urbanization. Citrus greening, laurel wilt, and hurricane-related damage have sharply reduced yields and acreage, while rising imports erode market share and depress prices. Urban development and recreational land-use expansion are accelerating land-value increases, which in turn drives farmland loss and abandonment. There is an urgent need for integrated strategies that improve resilience, strengthen land conservation, and enhance the long-term competitiveness of FL’s agricultural sector.
Property insurance and rent inflation, aggressive debt collection, and predatory scams are some of the key issues currently squeezing Floridians. We consistently rank fourth in the nation for per-capita debt collection complaints, and nearly 47% of state debt collection complaints cite abusive, predatory, or threatening behavior by collectors. One idea would be to launch a searchable, real-time database displaying consumer complaints by company name (similar to the federal CFPB portal) to deter deceptive local trade practices through radical transparency. Other ideas include creating a centralized "Single Digital Doorway" intake portal to instantly route complaints to the precise jurisdiction without forcing consumers to navigate bureaucratic mazes, and to transition the division's primary focus from educational brochure distribution to robust enforcement, particularly when it comes to renter's rights.
Age
44
Education
MBA - Western Governor's University/Bachelor's-American Military University
Hometown
Davie
County
Broward
Campaign Phone
728-229-4858
I’m running to make the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services the top state agency Floridians can count on to look out for their interests. I’m running to ensure our state’s agriculture industry is supported and promoted domestically and internationally. And I’m running because Florida needs leadership that will always put the people ahead of politics -- period.
My top priorities are: Provide innovative leadership that will ensure food safety and promote a strong and sustainable Florida agriculture industry. Strengthen the Consumer Services Division to provide aggressive protection for Florida’s consumers against fraud, scams, and other illicit business activities.
As your Commissioner of Agriculture, I will make expanding access to healthy, affordable food one of my highest priorities. I will fight for legislation and champion programs that encourage community gardens, strengthen farm share initiatives, and build lasting partnerships between local farmers, community organizations, schools, faith-based groups, and local governments.
I am committed to working with legislators, agricultural leaders, and communities across our state to develop practical, long-term solutions that reduce food insecurity, support Florida's farmers, and ensure that every family, every child, every senior, and every veteran have reliable access to nutritious food.
As your Commissioner of Agriculture, I will ensure that concealed weapons licenses are issued responsibly and in accordance with the law. I firmly support the Second Amendment and the constitutional rights of responsible, law-abiding citizens.
That’s why I will support legislation and policies that keep firearms out of the hands of convicted violent felons and individuals who are legally prohibited from possessing them. Strong background checks, thorough enforcement of existing laws, and accountability are essential to protecting both our constitutional freedoms and public safety.
It is our responsibility to respect the rights of responsible gun owners while taking reasonable steps to prevent dangerous individuals from gaining access to firearms. As Commissioner, I will approach that responsibility with fairness, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to the safety of every Florida family.
As Commissioner of Agriculture, I will work alongside our farmers to implement practical, science-based solutions that reduce fertilizer runoff and other pollutants that contribute to harmful algal blooms and declining water quality.
Florida's farmers are among our state's greatest stewards of our land. They should not be expected to shoulder the financial burden of environmental protection alone. I will advocate for incentive-based programs, technical assistance, and cost-sharing partnerships that help producers adopt best management practices without threatening the viability of their farms.
By investing in conservation, innovation, and collaboration instead of implementing unfunded mandates, we can protect our rivers, lakes, springs, and groundwater while ensuring that Florida agriculture remains strong for generations to come. I am committed to finding solutions that support our farmers, safeguard our environment, and strengthen the future of our state.
The preservation of Florida’s land, protection of natural resources, and the safeguarding of our state parks, coastal areas, and Florida Forever projects are vital to our state’s future. They are essential to our economy and our quality of life. As Commissioner and member of the Florida Cabinet, I believe we have a responsibility to protect these resources while ensuring they continue to benefit future generations.
I support responsible conservation and strategic land acquisition that protects our water resources, preserves productive agriculture lands, safeguards wildlife habitats, and strengthens our environment long-term.
My philosophy is simple: being a good steward of our state means leaving Florida better than we found it. I will balance conservation with responsible land management and support those who work on the land every day. We can preserve Florida’s natural beauty, strengthen our economy, and ensure future generations inherit a state that is vibrant and productive.
Forests are a vital piece of Florida’s natural habitat. From the cypress forests of the Everglades to the longleaf pines and live oaks of North Florida, our natural landscapes are essential to the health of our state’s ecosystem. As Commissioner of Agriculture, I will work to ensure these resources are protected while allowing agriculture, forestry, and the green industry to continue growing and creating jobs.
I believe the best solutions come through collaboration, not unnecessary regulation. As such, I will work alongside our farmers, foresters, scientists, nursery owners, and conservation partners to promote viable, best-management practices that protect our environment while keeping our agriculture economy vibrant.
Florida is a beautiful state with a warm and inviting year-round climate, it’s a wonderful place to live. Unfortunately, many fraudsters and scammers like living here too. That’s why it’s important for Florida consumers to be aware and stay alert to protect themselves against scams and other illicit activities targeting them. In addition to the Division of Consumer Services, there are several other Florida agencies that provide consumer protection. I would like to see the Division of Consumer Services become the “411” for Floridians seeking assistance from all forms of frauds and scams. I’m not proposing moving any of the enforcement or oversight from the other agencies, rather we would provide Floridians with a single point of contact providing 24/7/365 access to Florida’s Consumers information and real-time referral program for the appropriate agency. An enhanced service will not only ease access for consumers, but it will also accelerate the state’s ability to protect consumers.
