Commissioner Wilton Simpson Announces Permanent Protection of Four Florida Farms, Ranches through the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program

Aug 12, 2026

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced the permanent protection of more than 2,600 acres of working Florida agricultural land across four separate farms and ranches 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 agricultural operations to continue to contribute to Florida’s economy and the production of food, timber, and other resources vital to the prosperity of Florida.

“The Rural and Family Lands Protection Program is the most cost-effective conservation tool Florida has to permanently protect our food supply, natural resources, and wildlife habitat from development,” said Commissioner Wilton Simpson. “Thanks to historic investments in the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program from the Florida Legislature and Governor Ron DeSantis, we’re ensuring Florida’s farmers, ranchers, and producers can continue feeding and supporting Florida families for generations to come.”

Since its inception, the department’s Rural and Family Lands Protection Program has permanently preserved more than 244,000 acres of working agricultural land, including more than 179,000 acres preserved during Commissioner Simpson’s administration.

All four properties are enrolled in FDACS Best Management Practices and are located within the Florida Wildlife Corridor, which was established by state law in 2021 through the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act, a priority of then-Senate President Wilton Simpson.

Ludwig Property, Hardee County, Florida

Ludwig Property

Ludwig Property, an approximately 639-acre cow/calf operation in Hardee County, has been permanently preserved from development through a rural lands protection easement totaling $3,850,000. The property sits on Bushy Creek, just north of where Bushy Creek flows into Horse Creek, which eventually empties into the Peace River. Brushy Creek bisects the western half of the property and is fringed by mixed wetland hardwood forests and hammocks in good natural condition. This property consists of pasture and cropland on the eastern half, with flatwoods and forested wetlands on the western half along the creek. Surrounding lands are pasture, citrus, and wetlands. 

Dale Wright Farms, Marion County, Florida

Dale Wright Farms 

Dale Wright Farms, an approximately 589-acre cattle ranch and peanut farm in Marion County, has been permanently preserved from development through a rural lands protection easement totaling $2,825,000, with $1,400,000 being provided through the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service-Regional Conservation Partnership Program. This property consists of pasture in the northern two-thirds, with smaller upland and wetland forest inclusions. The southern third is wetland forest and marshes bordering the Withlacoochee River, which forms the southern border of the property, providing a significant riparian buffer to the Withlacoochee River. Surrounding lands are timber plantation, sandhill to the northeast, wetlands to the south along the Withlacoochee River, and low/medium density residential to the southwest. 

C&G Cattle - Charlie Creek, Hardee County, Florida

C&G Cattle - Charlie Creek

C&G - Charlie Creek, an approximately 672-acre cattle ranch along Charlie Creek in Hardee County, has been permanently preserved from development through a rural lands protection easement totaling $4,995,000, with $2,168,955 being provided by the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service-Agricultural Land Easements Program. This property consists of pasture, citrus groves, and forested wetlands along Charlie Creek, which runs through the center of the property. The project is also adjacent to an existing RFLPP easement. 

C&G Cattle - Fish Branch, Hardee County, Florida

C&G Cattle - Fish Branch

C&G Cattle - Fish Branch, an approximately 779-acre cattle ranch in Hardee County, has been permanently preserved from development through a rural lands protection easement totaling $4,550,000, with $2,132,600 being provided by the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service-Agricultural Land Easements Program. This property is roughly an equal mix of pasture, fallow croplands, and natural areas. The project includes mesic flatwoods, marshes, and forested wetlands along Fish Branch Creek, which runs through the center of the property. Surrounding lands are a similar mix of pasture, citrus, crops, forests, and wetlands.

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.