Katie Edwards-Walpole brings over 20 years of experience working with agricultural producers across the country on a wide range of policy issues. A South Florida native who hails from a cattle ranching family, Katie’s grandmother toted her to meetings at the local water management district office as a child. She earned her degree in Agricultural Economics from Clemson University then worked briefly for a citrus trade association in Polk County. In July 2003, the Dade County Farm Bureau hired Katie as its communications director.

A few months later, at the age of 22, she became the Executive Director. These incredible experiences led Katie to Florida International University. She continued working while pursuing her law degree in the evenings, and, running for State Representative. In 2012 she was elected State Representative and served parts of Davie, Plantation, and Sunrise.

Katie, now a former legislator, worked across party lines to pass legislation impacting permitting, property rights, and agriculture, including:

  • The “Charlotte’s Web Bill” in 2014, which laid the groundwork for Florida’s cannabis laws;

  • Updates to the Bert J. Harris Act regarding safe harbor provisions for settlement agreements between property owners and local governments;  

  • Defining and providing protections and relief from prohibited exactions imposed by a government entity on the proposed use of land;

  • Authorizing Florida Department of Environmental Protection to become the third state to enter into an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, assuming permitting responsibility at the state level for the federal 404 program under the Clean Water Act; and

  • Establishing a procedural, legal framework to affirm and/or challenge the customary use of privately owned lands by the public for recreation.

Katie’s representative matters include the following:

  • Negotiating and securing approvals for easements and exchanges of land interests, allowing the relocation, construction, and operation of AM radio broadcast facilities on government-owned lands.

  • Serving as a consultant to Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning & Building on agricultural policy matters including floodplain management regulations, Right to Farm Act, and agritourism.

  • Assisting property owners in the design, planning, and permitting of lands for commercial agricultural uses and agritourism activities.

  • Obtaining agricultural classification, on appeal before special magistrate, for a parimutuel’s horse boarding stables and training tracks.

  • Challenging a city’s building permit requirement for an equestrian property owner as a prohibited exaction, resulting in changes to a county’s water main connection requirements and release of the exaction, saving the property owner over $400,000 in unnecessary design, permitting, and construction costs.

  • Release of a conservation easement by a water management district.

  • Representing property owners before water management districts in responding to and resolving violations for work without permits.

  • Securing land use approvals for a water bottling facility in Central Florida.

  • Obtaining regulatory approvals and negotiating franchise fee agreements for a pipeline logistics operator.  

2015 Legislator of the Year

Florida Farm Bureau recognizes legislators for their support of policy issues that affect agriculture and rural Florida. Legislators are recognized at the Farm Bureau state annual meeting in October. The following Florida Legislators have received the Legislator of the Year Award: