(1) There is created the Florida Food Safety and Food Defense Advisory Council for the purpose of serving as a forum for presenting, investigating, and evaluating issues of current importance to the assurance of a safe and secure food supply to the citizens of Florida. The Florida Food Safety and Food Defense Advisory Council shall consist of, but not be limited to: the Commissioner of Agriculture or his or her designee; the State Surgeon General or his or her designee; the Secretary of Business and Professional Regulation or his or her designee; the person responsible for domestic security with the Department of Law Enforcement; members representing the production, processing, distribution, and sale of foods; consumers or members of citizens groups; representatives of food industry groups; scientists or other experts in aspects of food safety from state universities; representatives from local, state, and federal agencies that are charged with responsibilities for food safety or food defense; the chairs of the Agriculture Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives or their designees; and the chairs of the committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives with jurisdictional oversight of home defense issues or their designees. The Commissioner of Agriculture shall appoint the remaining members. The council shall make periodic reports to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services concerning findings and recommendations in the area of food safety and food defense.

(2) The council shall consider the development of appropriate advice or recommendations on food safety or food defense issues. In the discharge of their duties, the council members may receive for review confidential data exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1); however, it is unlawful for any member of the council to use the data for his or her advantage or reveal the data to the general public.

History.—s. 1, ch. 2003-255; s. 6, ch. 2006-289; s. 108, ch. 2008-6.