Commissioner Wilton Simpson Announces Protection of Over 4,500 Acres of Agricultural Land Through Rural and Family Lands Protection Program

What this means

Program reaches major milestone with more than 250,000 acres of Florida agricultural lands permanently protected from development TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced that the Governor and Cabinet, sitting as the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, have approved the preservation of more than 4,500 acres of working Florida agricultural land through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. Rural lands protection easements prevent future development and allow agricultural operations to continue contributing to Florida’s economy and the production of food, timber, and other resources vital to Florida's prosperity.

Official release

Source material from Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The wording below is the issuer’s statement.

Sep 29, 2026

Commissioner Wilton Simpson Announces Protection of Over 4,500 Acres of Agricultural Land Through Rural and Family Lands Protection Program

Program reaches major milestone with more than 250,000 acres of Florida agricultural lands permanently protected from development

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced that the Governor and Cabinet, sitting as the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, have approved the preservation of more than 4,500 acres of working Florida agricultural land through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. Rural lands protection easements prevent future development and allow agricultural operations to continue contributing to Florida’s economy and the production of food, timber, and other resources vital to Florida's prosperity.

“The Rural and Family Lands Protection Program gives us the most effective and cost-efficient way to preserve our natural lands while also supporting our farmers and ranchers,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson. “By permanently protecting working agricultural lands while keeping them in private ownership, we’re protecting Florida’s food supply and our rural way of life without taking the land off the tax rolls or creating new costs for the state. This is what smart conservation looks like, and it’s why this program is the best tool we have to protect Florida’s agricultural lands. I’m grateful to Governor DeSantis and my fellow members of the Florida Cabinet for continuing to support this mission.”

Since its inception, the department’s Rural and Family Lands Protection Program has permanently preserved more than 251,000 acres of working agricultural land, with nearly 186,000 acres preserved during Commissioner Simpson’s administration.

Blandford Farm & Ranch, Lake County, Florida. Photo: Lauren Yoho/Wildpath

Blandford Farm & Ranch

Blandford Farm & Ranch, an approximately 349-acre sod and hay farm in Lake County, has been permanently preserved from development through a rural lands protection easement totaling $7,500,000. Originally a cattle ranch and orange grove in the early 1900s, the property is now used as a sod and hay farm, with a large natural area and wetlands along the west boundary. The Bland family has made Florida agriculture their livelihood for several decades and, with the approval of this project, will have the means to continue it. The property is located in a semi-rural but transitioning market area in Lake County. Mount Dora is located about 3.2 miles northwest of the property and downtown Orlando is approximately 23 miles southeast of the property. The project site is enrolled in the FDACS Best Management Practices (BMP) program.

Encore Farms, Lake County, Florida. Photo: Lauren Yoho/Wildpath

Encore Farms

Encore Farms, an approximately 194-acre horse and cattle operation in Lake County, has been permanently preserved from development through a rural lands protection easement totaling $5,436,000. The property is adjacent to Seminole State Forest, and near Wekiwa Springs State Park and other conservation lands. The property consists of improved pasture, agricultural support areas, wetlands, and associated agricultural improvements, and the property is used for cattle, horse, and hay production. The property is subject to significant development pressure due to its frontage along County Road 46A and surrounding residential and planned unit development growth. The project site is enrolled in the FDACS Best Management Practices (BMP) program, and this property is located within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

Fair Bluff Ranch, Martin County, Florida. Photo: Drew McDougall/Wildpath

Fair Bluff Ranch

Fair Bluff Ranch, an approximately 618-acre cattle ranch in Martin County, has been permanently preserved from development through a rural lands protection easement totaling $6,200,000. The property is part of the Taylor Creek/Nubbin Slough Basin within the greater Northern Everglades Lake Okeechobee watershed, an area identified as a priority for watershed restoration. The property includes improved pasture, natural forested uplands, freshwater marshes, and other natural areas. The project site is enrolled in the FDACS Best Management Practices (BMP) program, and this property is located within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

Leonard Property, Martin County, Florida. Photo: Lauren Yoho/Wildpath

Leonard Property

Leonard Property, an approximately 219-acre cattle ranch in Martin County, has been permanently preserved from development through a rural lands protection easement totaling $20,150,000, with Martin County providing $10,075,000. The property consists of improved pastures, pine flatwoods, freshwater marshes, and cypress systems. The property is subject to significant development pressure due to its frontage along SW Bridge Road. The project site is enrolled in the FDACS Best Management Practices (BMP) program, and this property is located within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

Turnpike Dairy, Martin County, Florida. Photo: Drew McDougall/Wildpath

Turnpike Dairy

Turnpike Dairy, an approximately 498-acre cattle operation in Martin County, has been permanently preserved from development through a rural lands protection easement totaling $7,480,000, with Martin County providing $3,740,000. The property has been owned and managed by the same family for multiple generations and is composed of improved pasture with scattered wetlands and bayheads that provide wildlife habitat and contribute to regional landscape connectivity. The property is adjacent to South Florida Water Management District conservation lands and is located near existing conservation easements. The project site is enrolled in the FDACS Best Management Practices (BMP) program, and this property is located within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

Limestone Creek, Hardee County, Florida. Photo: Carlton Ward Jr./Wildpath

Limestone Creek

Limestone Creek, an approximately 1,034-acre cattle ranch in Hardee County, has been permanently preserved from development through a rural lands protection easement totaling $6,520,000. The ranch consists of improved pasture, with an average of 300 head of cattle, and native woods. The property is bisected by Limestone Creek, which drains east to the Peace River. The property includes a mosaic of uplands and wetlands and is part of a larger landscape of diverse habitat. The project site is enrolled in the FDACS Best Management Practices (BMP) program, and this property is located within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

Stokes Farm, Columbia County, Florida. Photo: Lauren Yoho/Wildpath

Stokes Farm

Stokes Farm, an approximately 1,586-acre timber operation in Columbia County, has been permanently preserved from development through a rural lands protection easement totaling $5,562,000. The farm has planted pines and has approximately 100 acres of pasture used for horse grazing. The project site is enrolled in the FDACS Best Management Practices (BMP) program.

In addition, the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund approved the 2026 Rural and Family Lands Protection Program Project Acquisition List [ Adobe PDF Document ]. The 2026 Project Acquisition List is comprised of projects from previous RFLPP application cycles, including the Board of Trustees-approved 2025 list that have rolled over and are awaiting acquisition.

About the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program

Established in 2001 with the passage of the Rural and Family Lands Protection Act, the program recognizes that working agricultural lands are essential to Florida's economic future. As agricultural lands face increasing pressure from development, the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program partners with farmers and ranchers to ensure sustainable production practices while protecting natural resources.

Rural lands protection easements prevent future development of the land and allow agricultural operations to continue contributing to Florida’s economy and the production of food, timber, and other resources vital to the state’s prosperity. By purchasing development rights through a rural lands protection easement, the program also avoids the long-term costs associated with acquiring and maintaining state-owned conservation lands.

Since 2022, Commissioner Simpson has helped to secure more than $1.1 billion in state funding for the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, including $425 million in the 2026/2027 state budget.

Commissioner Simpson has been involved in Florida’s land conservation policy issues long before becoming Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture. As Senate President, Commissioner Simpson championed the successful passage of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act, which directed the state of Florida to better protect and connect Florida’s natural areas and wildlife habitats and to preserve working agricultural lands from future development.

A story map of all completed Rural and Family Lands Protection Program projects can be viewed here: FDACS.gov/RFLPPMap.

For more information about Commissioner Simpson and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FDACS.gov.

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Release text attributed to Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Consult the official publication for any subsequent corrections or updates.