The Rural and Family Lands Protection Program program is expanding, which means more Florida ranch lands will be protected from development. Governor Rick Scott and his cabinet voted on the expansion yesterday during a meeting in Kissimmee.Ranchers like David "Lefty" Durando say protecting farmland between Orlando and Lake Okeechobee will help the Everglades.
"The solutions north of the lake I think are probably to do absolutely nothing. Don't develop it. Just don't develop it", Durando said. "Let us keep doing what we're doing. Let us keep ranching."
Yesterday's vote authorizes about 50 more ranchers to join the program. Environmentalists say they'll push for even more during the spring Legislative session.
