Dixie Ranch West in Okeechobee County, Florida. Photo: Lauren Yoho/Wildpath
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 6,200 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 of the land and allow agriculture operations to continue to contribute to Florida’s economy and the production of food, timber, and other resources vital to the prosperity of Florida.
“Florida was built by generations of farmers and ranchers who worked the land, cared for it, and passed it on better than they found it. That legacy is worth protecting,” said Commissioner Wilton Simpson. “These properties aren’t just acres on a map. They’re family operations that produce food, support jobs, protect water resources, and provide vital habitat for Florida wildlife. I’m grateful to Governor DeSantis and my fellow members of the Florida Cabinet for continuing to support this mission. With today’s approval, more than 6,200 additional acres or working agricultural land will remain in production and protected from future development, ensuring Florida’s rural heritage remains a part of our future, not just our past.”
Since its inception, the department’s Rural and Family Lands Protection Program has permanently preserved over 240,000 acres of working agricultural land, with nearly 175,000 acres preserved during Commissioner Simpson’s administration.
The properties approved today are enrolled in FDACS Best Management Practices and are located within the Florida Ecological Greenways Network or within the Florida Wildlife Corridor, which was established in state law in 2021 through the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act as a priority of then-Senate President Wilton Simpson.
The Governor and Cabinet approved rural lands protection easements for the following projects:
Dixie Ranch West
Dixie Ranch West in Okeechobee County, Florida. Photo: Lauren Yoho/Wildpath
Dixie Ranch West, a 2,996-acre cow/calf operation in Okeechobee County, Florida, has been permanently preserved from development through a rural lands protection easement, totaling $14,225,000, with $2,320,000 being provided through the United States Air Force (USAF) Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) program for the Avon Park Air Force Range (APAFR), Sentinel Landscape Program. The property provides a natural drainage to the south in the Kissimmee River watershed and Lake Okeechobee. The property consists mainly of open pastures with interspersed wetlands, forested uplands, and woodland pasture, and it is entirely located within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
Thundercloud Ranch
Thundercloud Ranch in Manatee County, Florida. Photo: Lauren Yoho/Wildpath
Thundercloud Ranch, a 1,042-acre cow/calf operation with hay production in Manatee County, Florida, has been permanently preserved from development through a rural lands protection easement, totaling $11,680,000, with $1,500,000 being provided by Manatee County. This property is part of the headwaters for Gilley Creek which is a major tributary to the Manatee River and consists of natural mesic flatwoods and scrub habitat with improved pasture. Thundercloud provides a connection between Little Manatee River Southfork Tract owned by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the Edward W. Chance Reserve, which protects Lake Manatee flowing into the Manatee River. Thundercloud Ranch is located within the Florida Ecological Greenways Network.
Syfrett Farm & Ranch
Syfrett Farm & Ranch in Highlands County, Florida. Photo: Lauren Yoho/Wildpath
Syfrett Farm & Ranch, a 1,183-acre cow/calf operation in Highlands County, Florida, has been permanently preserved from development through a rural lands protection easement, totaling $5,325,000. The ranch supports a large herd of cattle and is engaged in a sustainable cow/calf operation. In addition to livestock grazing, the ranch utilizes a portion of its fertile uplands for sod production. The wetland areas provide valuable ecological benefits, such as water filtration and habitat for local wildlife, and the property has improvements to optimize water retention to reduce runoff and enhance water quality flowing into Lake Okeechobee. Syfrett Farm & Ranch is entirely located within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
LFW Farms
LFW Farms in Okeechobee County, Florida. Photo: Lauren Yoho/Wildpath
LFW Farms, a 1,014-acre cattle ranch in Okeechobee County, Florida, has been permanently preserved from development through a rural lands protection easement, totaling $6,600,000. The property is mainly used as a cow/calf operation. Bahia grass is periodically cut and sold as pastures are rotated. Approximately 10% of the ranch serves as functional wetlands for the area ecosystem, the remainder is improved pasture. This project is located within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
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. Agricultural lands are being increasingly threatened by urban development. To counter this trend, 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. Additionally, by purchasing development rights through a rural lands protection easement, the program does not impose an additional burden on the taxpayer by having to maintain state-owned 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 passed by the legislature.
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.
###
