Backroom Briefing: Revving Up ‘Fresh From Florida’

Florida is back in the business of race-car sponsorships.

This past weekend, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ “Fresh from Florida” brand was featured on a Ford F-150 as part of the ThorSport Racing team participating in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. The sponsorship cost $75,000.

“With the bold ‘Fresh From Florida’ brand on the No. 13 truck at Homestead-Miami Speedway, we’re celebrating the more than 300 agricultural commodities produced right here in Florida. So, next time you’re at the grocery store, choose ‘Fresh From Florida,’” Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson said in a news release posted by ThorSport.

The No. 13 truck, sporting “Fresh from Florida” logos on its upper rear quarter panels, didn’t finish in the top three in the race, but the department remained supportive.

“Fresh From Florida has had longstanding partnerships with various NASCAR drivers and races over the years, and we are proud to partner with Hailie Deegan (the driver) and ThorSport Racing to showcase the bounty of Florida’s farmers, ranchers and fisherman,” department spokeswoman Jessica Kelleher said in an email.

State agencies have shied away from such promotions during the past few years, after then-House Speaker Richard Corcoran criticized marketing efforts by Visit Florida.

The tourism-marketing agency had contracts with celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse, the rapper Pitbull, the Fulham football club, and a racing team in what is now the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The racing contract went for $2.875 million a year.

FOOTBALL FOCUS

State Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis this week defended his repeated calls for the NCAA to allow defensive tackle Darrell Jackson to play for the Florida State University football team during the fall academic term.

Saying his elected position lets him speak out on issues he views as wrong, Patronis said NCAA’s refusal to provide a waiver to Jackson likely violates federal and state antitrust laws. But Patronis, a Florida State alum and fan, also showed some garnet and gold spirit in his objections.

“As [Jackson] is sitting on the sidelines, not playing because bureaucrats by the NCAA are showing favoritism to UNC [the University of North Carolina] and not giving the same terms to FSU, by gosh, yes, I’m gonna be upset. I’m gonna be mad,” Patronis said Tuesday.

Patronis also made a records request to the NCAA about the organization’s transfer waiver process for Jackson and University of North Carolina wide receiver Tez Walker.

The NCAA allows athletes a one-time transfer among top-tier schools without missing time on the field. But athletes are required to sit out games for an academic year if they transfer a second time.

Walker was granted a waiver after UNC raised issues of antitrust restraint of trade and contended he never played while at North Carolina Central. The COVID-19 pandemic canceled a North Carolina Central season.

Jackson, who started his college football career at the University of Maryland, entered the transfer portal from the University of Miami in December and enrolled at FSU in January.

In seeking a hardship waiver, Jackson said the move was so he could be closer to his mother and take care of her.

Patronis said he would be equally passionate for any Florida college athlete stuck in a similar situation.

“I’d be doing the same thing if it was a University of Florida player,” Patronis said.

WILL DO

State Board of Administration Interim Executive Director Lamar Taylor said the agency, which oversees state retirement investments, is ready to follow any expanded sanctions against Iran that lawmakers pass during a special session in November.

“There’s a number of provisions already in law. That has been the structure. The Legislature sets these policy issues in statute and we execute. That’s what we can do. If they modify that, that’s what we will do,” Taylor responded Wednesday when asked how the state can increase existing sanctions against Iran.

Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, and House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, issued a proclamation for the session that said a focus will be to show support for Israel during the war with the Palestinian militant group Hamas. That is expected to include trying to increase sanctions against Iran, a backer of Hamas. The session will start Nov. 6.

Florida already lists Iran as a “foreign country of concern,” along with China, Russia, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela and Syria.

Since 2008, Florida has prohibited state agencies and local governments from contracting for goods and services of more than $1 million with any business that has contracts with the Iranian government.

In addition, a state law passed this spring placed land-ownership restrictions on people from Iran and the other foreign countries of concern.

Meanwhile, numerous federal sanctions against Iran are in place. The U.S. and Iran have not had a formal diplomatic relationship since 1979, when Iranians took over the American embassy.

Jim Turner reports for the News Service of Florida.

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