Promote policies and programs to strengthen the economic viability and resilience of the regional agriculture industry in the face of increasing climate change impacts and other pressures for the conversion of agricultural lands.

STRATEGIES

AG-2.1 Advocate for policies that enhance the resilience of the agriculture industry to climate change impacts, including increased drought, increased heat, flooding, sea level rise, groundwater salinization, non-native species invasion and changing rainfall conditions.

AG-2.2 Coordinate state advocacy related to advancing resilient agriculture among county and local government officials.

AG-2.3 Implement local land use, zoning, water management and other policies that help the agriculture sector operate effectively and manage climate impacts.

AG-2.4 Assess and advocate for potential federal designation avenues that would aid the management of Southeast Florida agricultural lands, such as the Department of Agriculture’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program or the Department of Homeland Security’s Critical Infrastructure Sectors.

AG-2.5 Maintain or expand current state and county Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program funding, also known as Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easements, as a strategy to protect agricultural lands. Funding mechanisms include municipal bonds, state funds and federal matching funds through the Agricultural Easement Program. Current Florida PDR programs include:

• Rural and Family Lands Program (Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services)
• Purchase of Development Rights Program (Miami-Dade County)
• Agricultural Reserve (Palm Beach County)