Black Farmers

The Florida Department of Health last year began moving forward with rules to award the license and scheduled an application period in March.

Black farmers that were part of the Pigford class action suit must pay a fee of $146,000, more than double that paid by others. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried wants an investigation into the rule's intent.

The state will kick off the rulemaking process for Black farmer applicants within “weeks to months” and set the stage for another set of licenses that would nearly double the number of operators.

A lawsuit filed Friday challenges the constitutionality of part of a new state law that requires a coveted medical-marijuana license to go to a black...