Florida has added two more ranches to its growing list of protected agricultural lands, with nearly 1,500 acres in Manatee and Highlands counties secured from future development. The ranches are now permanently protected through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson said in a release. These rural land easements prevent future development while allowing agricultural operations to continue and contribute to Florida’s economy and the production of food, timber and other resources vital to the state’s prosperity.
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