TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson highlighted the Florida Farm Bill Friday, which includes a proposal to ban the addition of non-water quality additives, such as fluoride, to the public water supply.
“If COVID-19 taught us anything, it is that government has the ability to force health decisions without our consent based on emerging facts,” Simpson said. “Public water systems should be about fresh, clean, safe drinking water – not a means for delivering government-prescribed medicine without the consent of the consumer.”
While the proposal seeks to eliminate fluoride from municipal water, it will not fully remove the option for consumers. Private water manufacturers will still be allowed to sell fluoridated water, giving Floridians the ability to choose whether or not to purchase it.
“Nobody is thirsty for unnecessary additives,” Sen. Keith Truenow, R-Tavares, said. “Safe, clean drinking water is our chief goal. Prohibiting fluoride in public water systems ensures that individuals and families have the final say over their health.”
Truenow and Rep. Kaylee Tuck, R-Sebring, sponsored the Florida Farm Bill.
“Floridians deserve full transparency about the health impacts of what goes into their water and the freedom to make their own health decisions for their families,” Tuck said. “I am proud of the 2025 Florida Farm bill for what it does for agriculture, but also for the protections for all Florida consumers.”
Rep. Danny Alvarez, R-Riverview, also commented on the issue, saying:
“Floridians have spoken loud and clear: Government and bureaucrats do not get to make decisions that affect their long-term health without their say. Water is supposed to be safe, clean and free of political decisions that have long-term ramifications on the health of their children and families,” Alvarez said.
The Florida Farm Bill also aims to support Florida’s agriculture industry, benefiting farmers, ranchers, and growers.
Key provisions include a ban on ESG lending practices targeting agricultural producers, enhanced emergency preparedness, support for FFA and 4-H programs, and expanded consumer protections and transparency across various regulated industries, among other initiatives.
Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo Ladapo announced in November that Floridians should be aware of safety concerns associated with systemic fluoride exposure, prompting a growing number of Florida cities to remove fluoride from their drinking water.
The safety concerns Ladapo warns of include:
- Adverse effects in children, such as reduced IQ, cognitive impairment, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
- Increased neurobehavioral problems in children whose mothers ingested fluoride during pregnancy.
- Accumulation of fluoride in the pineal gland, causing sleep cycle disturbances.
- Skeletal fluorosis, which could increase the risk of bone fractures.
- Potential risk of premature menarche in adolescent girls.
- Potential suppression of the thyroid gland by inhibiting iodine absorption.
In November, President Donald Trump tapped Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for the Secretary of Health and Human Services position.Ahead of the November election, Kennedy vowed to help remove fluoride from public water.
Original article online at: https://flvoicenews.com/wilton-simpson-highlights-florida-farm-bill-proposal-to-ban-fluoride-in-public-water-supply/