Wilton Simpson’s $100 million priority for an agriculture land program vetoed by governor

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed a top priority for Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson Thursday.

The governor vetoed $100 million that the legislature allocated for the Land Acquisition Trust Fund for the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program.

“There is no conceivable reason to target agriculture in a year when we have billions of dollars in reserves,” Simpson said in a statement.

“Agriculture was harmed today and so was the State of Florida,” he said.

When asked why the money was vetoed, the press secretary for the governor’s office, Jeremy Redfern, noted that the governor approved $300 million last year for the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, which he said could be used the following fiscal year.

The governor’s office also pointed to DeSantis and the Florida approving $103 million to conserve land through the Florida Forever and Rural and Family Lands Protection programs.

“At a minimum, $240 million remains available for the program moving into the upcoming fiscal year,” Redfern said.

The agriculture department said the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program maintains the agriculture land base in Florida through the acquisition of permanent agriculture land conservation easements.

“Agriculture is a $180 billion economic engine for Florida,” Simpson said. “The ability to produce a safe, affordable, and abundant food supply is a matter of State and National Security, especially as we welcome 1,000 new residents every day.”

Simpson called the program “critical” to the Wildlife Corridor.

He said the program keeps agriculture lands in the hands of farmers “who maintain the land at no cost to taxpayers.”

The governor’s office said that the governor and Florida cabinet would need to approve a new priority list following the agriculture department’s next application cycle.

“Until then, projects authorized for purchase must be included on the 2018 priority list,” Redfern said. “Given those facts, the Governor made the prudent decision to continue to support the program through the remaining resources that will roll into next year’s budget.”

The governor’s office also said $976 million was allocated for conservation and recreation land acquisition.

DeSantis signed the budget Thursday, which totaled to $116.5 billion and included $2.7 billion in tax cuts.

He vetoed nearly $500 million dollars in the 2023-24 fiscal year budget.