State Program Offers Lifeline for Family Farms

St. Johns County landowners and local officials gathered this week for a detailed briefing on Florida’s Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, a state initiative designed to keep agricultural land in production while permanently guarding it from development pressure.

Hosted by county staff, the session featured Florida Farm Bureau President Jeb Smith, a fifth-generation Hastings farmer, and John Paul (JP) Fraites, director of the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).

Smith shared his family’s experience placing about 71 percent of their land into conservation easements through the program. In exchange for selling their development rights, they received just under 50 percent of the appraised value, while retaining ownership and the ability to farm, lease, or sell the land.

“This isn’t for everyone,” Smith cautioned, noting the decision is permanent, the process is public, and it is not a quick fix for financially distressed operations. But he emphasized the benefits: reduced property tax exposure and paperwork, improved estate planning, additional cash flow for reinvestment, and the ability to keep land in agriculture across generations.

Freys outlined how the program works statewide. FDACS purchases development rights on qualifying farms and ranches—typically around 50 percent of fee-simple value—to prevent conversion to residential or commercial use. The land stays on the local tax roll, and the owner remains responsible for its management, meaning no ongoing maintenance cost to the state.

There is no minimum acreage, but properties must be in bona fide agricultural use and enrolled in agricultural best management practices (BMPs) before closing. Landowners can continue or add agritourism and certain ecosystem services, such as mitigation projects, on a limited portion of their agricultural acres.

Since the program began closing easements in 2009, Florida has protected more than 240,000 acres of agricultural land, with over 180,000 acres added since 2023 under Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson. About 90 percent of those acres lie within the Florida Wildlife Corridor, bolstering wildlife connectivity and water resources while preserving working landscapes.

With $425 million in current-year funding—$200 million of it recurring—state officials underscored that now is an opportune time for interested landowners, counties, and conservation partners in St. Johns County to explore participation.