Florida farmers to receive $675.9M in disaster assistance
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins met with agriculture leaders in Florida Monday and announced that her agency has signed a $675 million block grant agreement with the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to provide recovery assistance for Florida farmers following the last two hurricane seasons. More from the Florida Phoenix and WOFL.
Jacksonville competing with Savannah, Georgia, for Project Pan meatpacking facility
Jacksonville is competing with Savannah, Georgia, to attract an international meat processor looking to establish a $28 million packing plant in the Southeast, a city official said July 21. Ed Randolph, executive director of economic development, told the Mayor’s Budget Review Committee that the company, code-named Project Pan in city documents, will be a heavy port user that will bring in meat products from several overseas nations, including Australia. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.
Daytona Beach construction giant acquires roofing company
A publicly traded company from Florida has acquired a Phoenix-based roofing business in an $810 million deal. Daytona Beach-based TopBuild Corp. (NYSE: BLD), which installs and distributes insulation and other building materials to the construction industry, bought Progressive Roofing from Bow River Capital, a Denver-based private equity firm. More from the Orlando Business Journal.
South Florida Tech Hub CEO Imran Siddiqui on the future of the region’s tech ecosystem
Imran Siddiqui isn’t new to South Florida Tech Hub – or South Florida’s tech scene more broadly, for that matter. He’s been a board member, an active supporter, and a familiar face in our region’s tech scene. Now, as South Florida Tech Hub’s Interim CEO, he’s taking on a more hands-on role to help guide the organization during a period of transition. More from Refreh Miami.
Tri-Rail: Train service will run out of money by end of 2026 because of state budget cuts
Tri-Rail, South Florida's low-cost publicly funded passenger train, will run out of money sooner than previously thought, the rail service's director said July 17, because of state budget cuts the Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis approved in June. The Florida Department of Transportation is cutting its yearly contribution to Tri-Rail by more than $27 million starting in July, rail agency Executive Director David Dech said during a meeting of the Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency. More from the Palm Beach Post.
How a modernized health plan is lowering total cost of care and improving employee experience
Surest is an employer-sponsored health plan available to employers with two or more employees and is offered on a self-funded, fully insured, and level funded basis. With employers of all sizes looking to combat rising health care costs, Surest remains the only product that can help curb rising health care costs without trimming benefits, narrowing networks or shifting costs onto employees. [Sponsored report]
Florida Dining
Want to save money on dining out? Get ready for Miami Spice deals
In a year during which every diner seems to be searching for a bargain, Miami Spice 2025 is almost here. The annual promotion by the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau starts Aug. 1 and runs through the end of September, with more than 300 restaurants around Miami-Dade County offering fixed price, three course brunch, lunch and dinner menus.
» More from the Miami Herald.
Business Profile
Former Pinellas homeless couple now run $1.5M car detail firm
Crippled by drug addictions, Corey Eberhardt and his wife Piper found themselves broke, homeless and filtering through prisons at the peak of the pandemic. Their way out of that life was to start and now grow a franchise-based car detailing company.
» Read more from the Business Observer.