As part of our commitment to providing you with what you need to make an informed decision in the 2026 elections, News 6 joined with the News Collaborative of Central Florida to present the Voting Central Florida 2026 Voter’s Guide.
Tuesday, Aug. 18 is the Florida Statewide Primary election, a mix of party primaries and nonpartisan local elections, such as school board races, judicial races, and county commission races in some counties.
Recommended Videos
[ELECTION 2026: Make sure you’re eligible to vote|How to vote by mail|Election Myths]
Florida has a closed primary system, which means only members of a political party may vote in party primaries. To be eligible, a voter had to identify with that party by July 20.
However, judicial races and local races, for the most part, are open to all registered voters, regardless of political party.
Everything you need to know in order to vote in the Aug. 18 Statewide Primary, including how to vote by mail, vote early, and vote on Election Day, can be found in our Election 2026 section HERE.
Republican commissioner of agriculture candidates
The Republican commissioner of agriculture primary is a statewide race open to all registered Republicans in Florida to decide who will represent the party in the November general election.
The commissioner of agriculture has a large number of duties:
- Inspects and tests food products
- Helps protect crops and livestock
- Promotes Florida agriculture
- Manages state forests
- Handles gun licenses
- Serves as a clearinghouse for consumer complaints
Go to the agency’s website HERE to learn about the office and the agencies under it.
The News Collaborative of Central Florida created a list of common questions to ask the candidates. Questionnaires were sent to all candidates. Our News Collaborative partners at Central Florida Public Media compiled the candidate responses for the Florida Commissioner of Agriculture race.
You can also see the full Central Florida Public Media Voting Guide HERE.
Wilton Simpson - Incumbent
WEBSITE: wiltonsimpson.com/
NOTE: Candidate did not respond to survey; information obtained from candidate website:
AGRICULTURE: Florida farms are legacy businesses that contribute to our nation’s food supply and billions of dollars to our state’s economy. Laws are frequently updated to recognize changes in other industries, and Wilton has made it clear our hardworking Florida farmers will not be left behind. As more and more people leave densely populated areas of the country and relocate to rural areas of our state, residential development encroaches on our rural areas. Friction between these competing land uses can lead to frivolous lawsuits that threaten the survival of legacy farming communities. Wilton wants to make certain we continue to preserve existing farms, which create critical jobs our agricultural communities have relied on for generations.
ENVIRONMENT: As a member of the Florida Cabinet, Wilton stood with Governor Ron DeSantis in May 2023 to approve the preservation of approximately 18,279.38 acres of working agricultural land through cost-effective conservation easements totaling nearly $58 million. The preservation efforts will prevent future development of the land and allow agricultural operations to continue to contribute to Florida’s economy and the production of food, timber, and other resources vital to the prosperity of the Sunshine State. These nine acquisitions are the largest through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’s Rural and Family Lands Protection Program ever approved in the history of the program.
Matt Taylor
WEBSITE: treadback.com/
NOTE: Candidate did not respond to survey; information obtained from candidate website, other sources.
Why are you qualified to lead the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services? Florida’s growing fast, but not in the right ways. We’re losing farmland, clean water, and the small-town way of life that built this state. I’m running for Commissioner of Agriculture to stand up for the people who work the land, not the ones paving it over.
What changes, if any, do you think are needed in Florida’s regulations on agriculture and consumer services? I’m against overdevelopment. Too much of our farmland is being turned into subdivisions and solar fields, and once it’s gone, it’s gone for good.
I’ll fight to:
- Expand programs to help farmers who want to keep their land in agriculture instead of selling to developers.
- Stop industrial and solar projects from taking over productive farmland.
- Give tax relief to family farms and timber owners who protect their property.
- Make sure state funding supports smart growth and local voices, not unchecked sprawl.
Farming should be profitable, not a fight to survive. I’ll work to:
- Launch a Florida Grown First program that directs state agencies, schools, and public institutions to buy Florida-grown food whenever possible.
- Get disaster relief and crop insurance to small farms faster.• Cut pointless regulations and fees that drive up costs.
Our kids deserve real, healthy food and our farmers deserve steady markets. I’ll push to:
- Provide school meals made with Florida-grown produce and whole milk.
- Connect schools directly with local farms through stronger farm-to-school programs.
Florida’s land and water are being stretched thin by overdevelopment, neglect, and the over-spraying of dangerous chemicals. Here’s what I’ll do:
- Use the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program to help landowners get paid for keeping their land in agriculture instead of selling to developers.
- Expand voluntary conservation programs that help farmers protect soil and water without adding more red tape.
- Push the Cabinet to prioritize conservation easements and block bad land deals that destroy working land or water resources.
- Hold corporate polluters and irresponsible developers accountable when they abuse land or water, and make sure the state isn’t rewarding bad behavior with tax breaks.
Consumer Protection: Everyday Floridians should get what they pay for. I’ll:
- Modernize inspections at gas pumps and grocery stores.
- Crack down on price gouging.
- Keep the Department transparent and accountable.