State’s Rural and Family Lands Protection Program Expands, Protecting a Timber Operation from Development and Securing Florida’s Agricultural Future
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced a major land preservation effort today, with the permanent protection of approximately 958 acres of agricultural land in Volusia County. The preservation of Double Eagle Ranch, an active timber operation, was made possible through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Rural and Family Lands Protection Program (RFLPP).
The RFLPP works by purchasing the development rights to agricultural properties through voluntary rural lands protection easements. This strategy prevents future development while allowing the land to remain in private, working hands, ensuring its continued contribution to Florida’s economy and food supply.
“Permanently preserving Double Eagle Ranch is another major victory in our effort to protect Florida’s working agricultural lands,” said Commissioner Wilton Simpson. “Through the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, we’re safeguarding Florida’s food producers while keeping the land in private, working hands. This is exactly how we protect Florida’s food supply, conserve our natural resources, and keep our state’s farms and ranches strong for generations to come.”
Double Eagle Ranch, a working agricultural operation, is comprised of planted timber and open wetlands. The area surrounding the ranch is also primarily timber and wetlands, though residential development is encroaching on its western boundary. A report from the University of Florida’s Center for Landscape Conservation Planning projects that a large area adjacent to the ranch’s western boundary is slated for development by 2040, making the easement a crucial move to prevent fragmentation of the landscape.
Established in 2001, the RFLPP recognizes the vital role that working agricultural lands play in Florida’s economic future. The program partners with farmers and ranchers to ensure sustainable production practices while protecting natural resources from the increasing threat of urban development. Since its inception, the program has permanently preserved more than 213,000 acres of working agricultural land, with over 148,000 acres preserved under Commissioner Simpson’s administration alone.
Commissioner Simpson has been a consistent advocate for land conservation, helping to secure more than $700 million in state funding for the RFLPP since 2022, including $250 million in the 2025/2026 state budget. His conservation efforts also include championing the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act during his time as Senate President, which directed the state to protect and connect natural areas, wildlife habitats, and working agricultural lands.
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