Browse Ambrook’s collection of funding programs by Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS)

Agriculture Loan Program

The **Agriculture and Aquaculture Producers Emergency Loan Program** (formerly the&#x2004;Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program) has been established within the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) to make low-interest or interest-free loans to agricultural and aquaculture producers who have experienced damage from a declared emergency.

Loans may be used to:

- Restore, repair or replace essential physical property, including fences, equipment, greenhouses and other buildings;

- Restock aquaculture; **or**

- Remove vegetative debris from the property. Any structure or building constructed using loan proceeds must comply with storm-hardening standards as defined in [Section 604.50(2), Florida Statutes](http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?mode=View%20Statutes&SubMenu=1&App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=Section+604.50&URL=0600-0699/0604/Sections/0604.50.html) (F.S.).



The Agriculture and Aquaculture Producers Emergency Loan Program (formerly the Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program) has been established within the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) to make low-interest or interest-free loans to agricultural and aquaculture producers who have experienced damage from a declared emergency.
Loans may be used to:
- Restore, repair or replace essential physical property, including fences, equipment, greenhouses and other buildings;
- Restock aquaculture; or
- Remove vegetative debris from the property. Any structure or building constructed using loan proceeds must comply with storm-hardening standards as defined in Section 604.50(2), Florida Statutes (F.S.).

- Applicants must own a bona fide farm operation on land classified as agricultural pursuant to Section 193.461, F.S., or lease sovereign submerged land pursuant to Section 597.010, F.S.
- The farm or aquaculture facility must be located in a qualifying county for the applicable declared emergency.
- Applicants must have experienced damage or destruction due to a qualifying disaster.
- If an applicant is not the owner of the property, please have the property owner complete the Authorized Representative Form before applying for a loan.
- Loan funds may only be used to restore, repair or replace essential physical property, remove vegetative debris from essential physical property, or restock aquaculture. A structure or building constructed using loan proceeds must comply with storm-hardening standards for nonresidential farm buildings as defined in Section 604.50(2), F.S.
- You must be at least 18 years old.
- Accepting funds under this program could render an applicant ineligible for financial assistance from other sources; applicants must not unlawfully duplicate assistance (including FEMA and USDA) and must disclose any recovery funds received from other sources.
- You must complete all sections and upload all required documents for your application to be considered complete.
- You can apply up to one year after the date of the declared emergency or until available loan funds are exhausted, whichever occurs first.

Note: As outlined in Florida Statute, an applicant may not receive more than one loan per application period, more than two loans within a 12-month period (based on the date of their first loan application), or more than five loans in any three-year period.

A payment that must be returned to the provider following specified terms of repayment and interest rate.

Loan

Aquaculture

Aquatic Plants

Seafood

Eels

Fish

Shellfish

Atka Mackerel

Carp

Catfish

Flounder

Goosefish

Herring

Hybrid Striped Bass

Largemouth Bass

Ornamental Fish

Pacific Cod

Pacific Ocean Perch

Pollock

Recreational Sportfish

Red Drum

Sablefish

Salmon

Sole

Sturgeon

Tilapia

Trout

Tuna

Turbot

Crustaceans

Crab

Dungeness Crab

King Crab

Snow Crab

Southern Tanner Crab

Crayfish

Lobster

Molluscs

Geoduck

Squid

Coronavirus

Fencing

Trade Relief

Trees

Weather

Wildfire

Drought

Flood

Hurricane

Tornado

Emergency

A landowner may apply for inclusion on the approved acquisition list by submitting an application to the department after an application review cycle is noticed to the public. The Rural and Family Lands Protection Program Application must be submitted in accordance with the public notice requirements. Additional statutory and rule guidance can be found in Section 570.70, F.S., and Chapter 5I-7 of the Florida Administrative Code.

(1) For purposes of Sections 259.105(3)(i), and 570.71, F.S., anyone submitting an application for consideration of a Project shall utilize Form FDACS-11207, Rural & Family Lands Protection Program Application, Rev. 04/23, hereby incorporated by reference and immediately available on the internet at: http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-15367 or by sending a request to the following mail or email address. When an application review cycle is announced, applications must be submitted by mail or email to:
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services,
Rural and Family Lands Protection Program
Florida Forest Service
3125 Conner Boulevard, Suite “J”
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1650
RFLPP@FDACS.gov.

Applications must be delivered by 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time), on the final day of the application period, as announced pursuant to subsection 5I-7.004(2), F.A.C.

(2) The Department shall publish a Notice of Application Review Cycle announcing the opening of an application review cycle and the date by which new applications must be received. The notice shall include any funding priority criteria that will be considered in addition to the preferences set forth in Section 570.71(10), F.S. The notice shall be published in the Florida Administrative Register, and available on the internet at: http://www.flrules.org/.

(3) When an application review cycle is initiated by the Department, all Projects on the existing Project acquisition list will be carried over without submission of a new application, unless the landowner notifies the Department in writing that the Project is withdrawn from the list. Landowners with property on the existing Project acquisition list shall submit descriptions of any changes to use or conditions on the property by the deadline for submission of new applications published in the Notice of Application Review Cycle. If the Project no longer meets the Program eligibility criteria set forth in Rule 5I-5.003, F.A.C., due to changes to use or conditions on the property, Division staff shall recommend to the Rural and Family Lands Selection Committee that the Project be deemed ineligible. When an application review cycle is initiated by the Department, all new and existing Projects will either be ranked or re-ranked in accordance with Rule 5I-7.007, F.A.C.

(4) Each Project application received shall, within 30 days of receipt, be reviewed by Division staff to verify sufficiency of information and that on its face it is eligible for further review and evaluation in accordance with this chapter.
- (a) The Department shall notify the applicant with a notice of deficiency provided, via the applicant’s preferred method of contact as indicated on the application, setting forth a description of the deficiency and instructions for resubmission. If the required information is not received in writing via the methods described in subsection 5I-7.004(1), F.A.C., within five (5) business days of the applicant’s receipt of the notice of deficiency, the application will be rejected.
- 	(b) Applications determined to be ineligible shall be returned to the applicant with an explanation of the reason that the Project was determined to be ineligible.
- (c) Applications received after the application review cycle deadline described in subsection 5I-7.004(1), F.A.C., will not be considered and will be returned to the applicant.

(5) Requests to modify the boundary of a Project on the Project acquisition list by 15% or more of the total approved Project area must be submitted by the landowner prior to the application review cycle deadline and shall be considered for approval by the Rural and Family Lands Selection Committee with the next group of new Projects. Should the Committee approve the modification, a new total Project acreage would be established.

(6) If the landowner contemplates a division of the property, the size and scope of such division must be specified in the application and must go before the Selection Committee for approval. No division of the property will be allowed after the approval of the Project without the written consent of the Department. The division must not result in any parcel being below the median size of farms in the county, as determined by the USDA Median Size of Farms by County Table, Version 2017, hereby incorporated by reference and immediately available on the internet at: http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-15369 or by sending a request to RFLPP@FDACS.gov or the mailing address provided in Rule 5I-7.004, F.A.C.

Rulemaking Authority 570.07(23), 570.71(10), 259.105(3)(i) FS. Law Implemented 570.71, 259.105(3)(i) FS. History‒New 11-3-08, Amended 4-14-15, 6-12-23.

Sue Mullins

The Rural and Family Lands Protection Program (RFLPP) is an agricultural land preservation program designed to protect&#x2004;important agricultural lands through the acquisition of permanent agricultural land conservation easements. The program is written into Section 570.70, Florida Statutes, and Chapter 5I-7, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.). Projects are reviewed by a Technical Review Team, ranked through a formal process by the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program Selection Committee, and approved by the Governor and Cabinet.

The program is designed to meet three needs:

- Protect valuable agricultural lands.

- Create easement documents that work together with agricultural production to ensure sustainable agricultural practices and reasonable protection of the environment without interfering with agricultural operations in such a way that could put the continued economic viability of these operations at risk.

- Protect natural resources, not as the primary purpose, but in conjunction with the economically viable agricultural operations.

Originally created in 2001 with the passage of the Rural and Family Lands Protection Act, the program has successfully acquired permanent rural lands protection easements for over 232,000 acres of working agricultural land to date. The Rural and Family Lands Protection Program recognizes that working agricultural lands are essential to Florida's economic future. Agricultural lands are being increasingly threatened by urban development. To counter this trend, the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program coordinates with farmers and ranchers to ensure sustainable production practices while reasonably protecting natural resources. The program’s conservation easements ultimately provide a two-fold benefit: protecting a viable agricultural sector while providing rural landscapes and open space.



The Rural and Family Lands Protection Program (RFLPP) is an agricultural land preservation program designed to protect important agricultural lands through the acquisition of permanent agricultural land conservation easements. The program is written into Section 570.70, Florida Statutes, and Chapter 5I-7, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.). Projects are reviewed by a Technical Review Team, ranked through a formal process by the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program Selection Committee, and approved by the Governor and Cabinet.
The program is designed to meet three needs:
- Protect valuable agricultural lands.
- Create easement documents that work together with agricultural production to ensure sustainable agricultural practices and reasonable protection of the environment without interfering with agricultural operations in such a way that could put the continued economic viability of these operations at risk.
- Protect natural resources, not as the primary purpose, but in conjunction with the economically viable agricultural operations.
Originally created in 2001 with the passage of the Rural and Family Lands Protection Act, the program has successfully acquired permanent rural lands protection easements for over 232,000 acres of working agricultural land to date. The Rural and Family Lands Protection Program recognizes that working agricultural lands are essential to Florida's economic future. Agricultural lands are being increasingly threatened by urban development. To counter this trend, the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program coordinates with farmers and ranchers to ensure sustainable production practices while reasonably protecting natural resources. The program’s conservation easements ultimately provide a two-fold benefit: protecting a viable agricultural sector while providing rural landscapes and open space.

In order to be eligible for acquisition pursuant to this chapter, a Project must be consistent with the Program Goals and Objectives as stated in Rule 5I-7.001, F.A.C., and meet at least one of the following public purposes consistent with Section 570.71(1), F.S.:

1. Promotion and improvement of wildlife habitat;
2. Protection and enhancement of water bodies, Aquifer Recharge Areas, wetlands, and watersheds;
3. Perpetuation of open space on lands with Significant Natural Areas; or
4. Protection of Agricultural Lands threatened by conversion to other uses.

Rulemaking Authority 570.07(23), 570.71(10), 259.105(3)(i) FS. Law Implemented 570.70, 570.71, 259.105(3)(i) FS. History‒New 11-3-08, Amended 6-12-23.

Payment per unit of land to do or avoid certain practices related to land management.

Easement

- Learn more about the program and application process.

FAQ:
What is the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program?
The Rural and Family Lands Protection Program (RFLPP) is an agricultural land preservation program, administered by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, designed to protect important agricultural lands through the acquisition of permanent rural lands protection easements. A thriving rural economy with a strong agricultural base, healthy natural environment, and viable rural communities is essential to Florida.
The program is designed to meet three needs:
1. Protect valuable agricultural lands. 
2. Create easements that work together with agricultural production to ensure sustainable agricultural practices and reasonable protection of the environment. 
3. Protect natural resources in conjunction with economically viable agricultural operations.

How is the RFLPP unique compared to other land conservation programs in the state?
The Rural and Family Lands Protection Program engages solely in acquiring development rights through rural lands protection easements, or less than fee simple acquisitions. By acquiring conservation easements on agricultural-producing land, landowners can continue farming operations and contribute to the local tax roll while preserving wildlife habitat and the environment. Additionally, by purchasing development rights through a conservation easement, the RFLPP does not impose an additional burden on the taxpayer by having to maintain state-owned lands.

What is a Rural Lands Protection Easement?
Rural Lands Protection Easements are less-than-fee acquisitions of development rights on a tract of productive agricultural land. These easements compensate property owners for restrictions on the future development of their land in perpetuity while allowing them to continue their agricultural activities.

Who is eligible to apply?
To be eligible for acquisition, agricultural land must be consistent with the program’s goals and objectives of bringing under public protection lands that serve to limit subdivision and conversion of agricultural and natural areas that provide economic, open space, water, and wildlife benefits in rural areas.
For the purposes of selecting and ranking eligible projects, funding prioritization is based on projects that are ranch, timberlands, or agriculture operations that contribute to a safe, affordable, and abundant food supply and are managed using sustainable practices; perpetuate the viability of ongoing agricultural operations on the property; are at risk of conversion to non-agricultural use; and perpetuate the protection of wildlife, water, and other natural resources.

What lands are eligible for conservation? What criteria are used to determine eligibility?
Agricultural land that is consistent with the program’s goals and objectives, and meets at least one of the public purposes identified below, will be reviewed and evaluated to determine the degree of potential value. A technical review team will analyze available data, maps, and information related to the property, its natural features and species habitat, hydrology, agricultural operation, and potential for conversion to non-agricultural use.
1. Land must meet at least one of the following public purposes: 
2. Promotion and improvement of wildlife habitat; 
3. Protection and enhancement of water bodies, aquifer recharge areas, wetlands, and watersheds; 
4. Perpetuation of open space on lands with significant natural areas; or 
5. Protection of agricultural lands threatened by conversion to other uses. 

Who approves applications to the RFLPP?
The Rural and Family Lands Selection Committee, appointed by the Commissioner of Agriculture, prioritizes applications after reviewing projects and hearing public testimony. The Governor and Cabinet, sitting as the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, ultimately approve the eligible projects submitted to the program.
 
Land Planning and Administration
- Florida Forest Legacy Program
- Land Management Reviews
- Community Forest Program
- State Forest Land Management Plans
- Rural and Family Lands Protection Program
Program Resources
- 2025 Ranked List [  312.2 kB ]
- Rule Chapter 5I-7, F.A.C., for the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program
- Rural and Family Lands Protection Program Story Map
- Florida Administrative Register Notice
Contact Us
(850) 681-5828 
RFLPP@FDACS.gov

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List of Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Funding Opportunities