Fight over charity’s big contract could shake up food distribution to South Florida’s hungry — and impact governor’s race

Feeding South Florida CEO Paco Velez and Florida Agriculture Nikki Fried appeared together on July 17, 2019, at Feeding South Florida’s Boynton Beach facility. In 2021 they are at odds, in an unusually public standoff. Velez is openly critical of a decision by Fried’s agency to award contracts for emergency food assistance in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties to Farm Share instead of Feeding South Florida. (Taimy Alvarez / South Florida Sun Sentinel)