The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) announced the opening of an application cycle for landowners to apply to the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. The program partners with farmers and ranchers through rural lands protection easements to preserve working agricultural operations.
Landowners can submit applications online through Jan 29, 2025. FDACS will then review the applications for eligibility. Projects are reviewed by a technical review team, ranked through a formal process by the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program Selection Committee, and approved by the governor and cabinet.
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson called the program “a testament to the critical partnership between the state and our farmers and ranchers, ensuring these lands remain productive and vibrant for future generations.”
The program was established in 2001 with the passage of the Rural and Family Lands Protection Act. It has successfully preserved more than 196,000 acres of working agricultural land.
Agricultural lands are increasingly threatened by urban development. To counter this trend, the program partners with farmers and ranchers to ensure sustainable production practices while protecting natural resources. These easements serve as safeguards against future development, allowing agriculture operations to continue.
Florida’s governor and cabinet in December approved the preservation of more than 62,000 acres of working agricultural land totaling more than $206 million. The 13 easements marked the most acquisitions in the program’s history to be approved at a meeting of the governor and cabinet.
The governor and cabinet also voted to approve the 2024 Rural and Family Lands Protection Program’s Project Acquisition List with more than 300,000 acres of proposed conservation projects valued at nearly $1 billion.
A story map of all completed Rural and Family Lands Protection Program projects can be viewed here.
Source: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
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