Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson Breaks Ground on New Agricultural Inspection Station in Jackson County

CAMPBELLTON, Fla. - Today, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson, along with Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue, Jackson County Sheriff Donald L. Edenfield, and law enforcement partners, broke ground on the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' (FDACS) all-new Agricultural Inspection Station in Jackson County, Florida. Located just south of the Alabama border on U.S. Highway 231, the new facility will serve as the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement's (OALE) 24th Agricultural Inspection Station in the state, strengthening Florida's ability to intercept agricultural pests, unsafe food products, and criminal activity before they enter the state.

"Our Agricultural Law Enforcement officers are on the front lines defending Florida," said Commissioner Wilton Simpson. "Agricultural Law Enforcement officers are not just looking for bugs - they're also looking for drugs and thugs. Thanks to Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature, we're expanding our reach and strengthening our borders with this new inspection station and additional enforcement resources."

Once completed, the Agricultural Inspection Station will be home to OALE officers who will patrol roadways entering Florida from Alabama and Georgia. These officers will proactively serve communities across the region and work alongside local, state, and federal partners to enhance public safety. Currently, OALE operates 23 agricultural inspection stations strategically located on 19 major highways at Florida's entry and exit points. The stations are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

OALE was the first law enforcement agency in Florida to have 100% of its sworn law enforcement officers trained in the U.S. ICE 287(g) program. OALE operates as Florida's first line of border defense, protecting our state's northern entryways across the panhandle and North Florida by coordinating with local, state, and federal partners to combat illegal immigration and criminal activity.

For more information about Commissioner Simpson and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FDACS.gov.

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