The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has announced the preservation of two Florida farms through their Rural and Family Lands Protection Program (RFLPP).
Adams Farm, a 1,687-acre farm located in Walton and Holmes counties, and Triple S Ranch, an 806-acre farm in Citrus County, are being preserved through rural lands protection easements for $2,275,200 and $3,392,000.
Adams Farms, Inc. is a diversified row crop, cattle, and timber farm located in Walton and Holmes counties. Members of the Adams family have continuously operated parts of this farm since the 1890s.
This farm is designated as an FDACS Florida Pioneer Century Family Farm, recognizing this family as one of the original stewards of the land, preserving environmental resources, and helping foster the state’s agriculture industry.
Courtesy of FDACS
Triple S Ranch is a working farm in Citrus County with operations that include raising whitetail deer. The property is adjacent to the Withlacoochee River floodplain and the Withlacoochee State Trail. The property contains multiple cultural resource sites registered with the Florida Department of State.
The ranch contains a diverse ecology, including mixed hardwood–coniferous, cypress swamp, sandhill, improved pasture, freshwater marshes, freshwater non-forested wetlands, wet prairie, and rural lands. The hardwood areas contain a closed canopy mixture of old-growth live oaks, laurel oaks, slash pine, and sable palms.
“We’re proud to announce today more partnerships to permanently preserve working Florida farmland through the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program,” said Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson. “By protecting working agricultural operations like Adams Farm and Triple S Ranch, we’re ensuring that agriculture continues to thrive as a cornerstone of Florida’s economy while conserving the natural landscapes that make our state special.”
A story map of all completed RFLPP projects can be viewed here.