2025 Advocacy Agenda
The Florida Manufacturing & Supply Chain Advocacy Council is a coalition of manufacturing champions from across the state of Florida united to elevate the issues that are most important to their manufacturing stakeholders. Its members collaborate to identify the advocacy agenda below and support the most pressing issues for the industry.
Legislative Priorities:
- Support the Florida Manufacturing Bill
Enhancing Florida’s manufacturing ecosystem through strategic initiatives. The bill focuses on institutionalizing the Chief Manufacturing Officer (CMO) position and advancing critical programs to strengthen the sector:
- Chief Manufacturing Officer (CMO) - Institutionalize the CMO within FloridaCommerce to provide dedicated leadership and coordination for manufacturing initiatives statewide.
- Made in Florida Program - Create a “Made in Florida” designation and marketing program to recognize and promote products manufactured in Florida, encouraging consumer support for local goods and driving awareness of the state’s manufacturing capabilities.
- Biennial State of Florida Manufacturing Report - Authorize FloridaCommerce to produce a biennial report and survey that highlights the strengths, opportunities, and economic impact of Florida’s manufacturing sector, ensuring data-driven strategies to support the industry.
- Technical Support Program for Florida Manufacturers - Establish a grant or low-interest loan program to help small and medium-sized manufacturers adopt advanced technologies, improve cybersecurity infrastructure, and implement workforce training and upskilling programs.
- Investments to Encourage Growth in Florida’s Manufacturing Sector
Advocate for tax policies and programs to improve the business climate for Florida’s manufacturers, thereby producing high-wage job growth, new capital investment and increased revenues for the State:
- Capital Investment Tax Credit (CITC) Expansion: Broaden the CITC to cover all manufacturing subsectors in Florida (NAICS codes 31, 32, 33) and reduce the program’s capital investment and job creation thresholds so more Florida manufacturers qualify. These changes would encourage the expansion and retention of more small and medium-sized manufacturers, particularly in Florida’s rural communities, by rewarding the creation of new high-wage jobs and investments in machinery, equipment and facilities which increase state tax revenues.
- Reestablish the Qualified Target Industry (QTI) Tax Refund Program, a vital economic development tool available to all Florida communities to induce quality job growth in targeted, high value-added industries. QTI is fiscally responsible and effective — a performance-based program that refunds some of the taxes a qualified business has already paid, but only after the new jobs have been created and verified. For more than a quarter century, the QTI program delivered a significant return-on-investment of more than 5 to 1 — producing more than $5 of additional state revenue for each dollar the state paid out in refunds.
Advocacy Platform:
The Florida Manufacturing & Supply Chain Advocacy Council champions the following key issues to strengthen the manufacturing sector across Florida.
- Talent Development and Retention – Fostering a pipeline of skilled workers is essential to the future of manufacturing in Florida. The Council supports initiatives that improve early engagement, upskilling, and removing barriers to talent attraction and retention.
- Early Engagement: Strengthen AP manufacturing programs and dual enrollment to expose high school students to career opportunities in manufacturing.
- Retention Strategies: Focus on upskilling the current workforce through state funding and tax incentives for companies offering apprenticeships.
- Talent Development: Address challenges in hiring technical instructors, streamline certification processes, and recognize the importance of affordable housing and childcare in workforce retention.
- Florida’s Competitive Edge – The Council supports policies that position Florida as a leader in the manufacturing industry by enhancing the business climate for Florida’s manufacturers and promoting in-state production.
- Tax Policies/Programs: Advocate for broadening the Capital Investment Tax Credit (CITC) and reestablishing the Qualified Target Industry (QTI) Tax Refund Program.
- Institutionalize the Chief Manufacturing Officer position to oversee supply chain resilience, regulatory reform, and sector development.
- Buy/Made in Florida: Launch a “Made in Florida” campaign and explore the creation of a "Buy Florida Act" to promote local production.
- Re-shoring Initiatives: Support efforts to bring advanced pharmaceutical ingredient (API) production back to the U.S.
- Port Resilience & Free Trade Zones (FTZ): Advocate for expanding Free Trade Zones and enhancing port resilience to safeguard against disasters and improve trade flow.
- Industry Modernization – The Council supports innovation and modernization, which is vital for keeping Florida’s manufacturers globally competitive.
- Education and Technology Exposure: Increase training in robotics, automation, and energy efficiency. Support the development of "Train the Trainer" programs.
- Smart Manufacturing: Encourage the adoption of automation and address educational gaps and change management challenges.
- Cybersecurity and Sustainability: Provide resources to help manufacturers comply with new federal cybersecurity guidelines and incentivize sustainable practices through renewable energy tax credits.