Florida permanently protects nearly 1,500 acres across two working cattle ranches

Tallahassee, Florida – Two Florida cattle ranches covering nearly 1,500 acres have received permanent protection from development through the state’s Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson announced.

The agreements cover Mossy Island in Manatee County and Florida Commission Company Ranch in Highlands County. Both properties lie within the Florida Wildlife Corridor and participate in the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Best Management Practices program.

“I’m proud to announce today the preservation of two additional working Florida agricultural operations, which builds on the historic progress we’ve made through the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program,” said Commissioner Wilton Simpson. “My goal is to secure the permanent future of agriculture in Florida, and the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program gives us the most effective and cost-efficient way to preserve our natural lands from development while also supporting our farmers and ranchers.”

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Mossy Island is an approximately 420-acre cattle operation protected through a $4 million easement, including a $500,000 contribution from Manatee County. It borders Myakka River State Park to the west and Myakka Prairie Conservation Easements to the south.

The surrounding landscape includes pasture, cropland and low-density rural housing. University of Florida projections indicate that land adjoining the ranch’s northern boundary is expected to develop by 2040.

In Highlands County, a $4.7 million easement protects the approximately 1,046-acre Florida Commission Company Ranch. Cattle graze on improved pasture and natural areas, and the operation grows hay for use on the property.

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Established in 2001, the program purchases development rights while allowing farms and ranches to remain in agricultural production. This approach also avoids the ongoing costs of acquiring and maintaining those properties as state-owned conservation lands.

The program has permanently preserved more than 253,000 acres, including nearly 188,000 acres during Simpson’s administration. Since 2022, Simpson has helped secure more than $1.1 billion in state funding for the program, including $425 million in the 2026/2027 budget.

As Senate president, Simpson also championed the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act, supporting connections between natural habitats and protection for working agricultural land.

Completed conservation projects can be explored through the department’s interactive story map.