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Horse Farms Forever is a compact and powerful nonprofit,
founded in 2018 to:

Protect

Marion County’s Farmland Preservation Area was established in 2005. Its mineral-rich soil and water, and spring sheds are subject to increasing development and roadway threats. We participate and defend.

Promote

The culture, character and vibrant economy of greater Ocala is uniquely based on the presence of horses and horse farms. We share the facts.

Preserve

Landowners who love their land and wish to see it passed along to future generations have many options. We show the way.

Plan

The blueprint for Rural Land Management is written at the county level and made strong by collaboration and community influence. We facilitate progress.

Save the Date for our Conservation Summit!

November 16th, 2023
5:00-7:00pm at Ocala Breeders’ Sales

The Threats Are Real

From new roadways to rezoning. We are here to gather and multiply all of the voices that understand the value of our rural heritage and seek to preserve it forever.

News:

From Gilbert’s Hardware to Dollar General: Rural Activity Centers in the FPA

You may be wondering why a Dollar General store is being built in the Farmland Preservation Area? Marion County’s comprehensive plan allows for limited commercial and residential development in designated Rural Activity Centers (RAC) (Policy 2.1.21) The new Dollar General store is located in the Flemington RAC.

Horse Farms Forever Hosts Roundtable on Transfer of Development Rights

On Friday, April 14th before our Spring Speaker Series event at Golden Ocala, Horse Farms Forever® (HFF) held a Roundtable meeting with a diverse group of 25 community stakeholders to provide feedback on Marion County’s Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program.

HFF Celebrates Farmland Preservation Month

Over 100 guests joined Horse Farms Forever to celebrate Farmland Preservation Month at our second annual Spring Speaker Series event on Friday, April 14th at Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club.

We were honored to have two of the nation’s leaders in farmland preservation as our speakers. John Piotti is the President and CEO of the American Farmland Trust (AFT) and Rick Pruetz, who is an FAICP professional planner, is also a nationally recognized expert on Transfer of Development Rights.

Signs of Change

Who remembers the “Save It, Don’t Pave It” signs from 2017-18 that were all over Marion County when the Florida Department of Transportation was proposing a toll road through the Farmland Preservation Area? Those signs did a lot to raise awareness and public input that organized citizens to stop the coastal connector and led to the birth of Horse Farms Forever.

Horse Farms Forever Welcomes Sara Fennessy Back As Director of Community Affairs

he Board of Directors of Horse Farms Forever is excited to announce that Sara Powell Fennessy has returned as Director of Community Affairs. Please join us in welcoming Sara Fennessy back to Horse Farms Forever in the role she defined and filled so well – Director of Community Affairs. Sara joined HFF in 2019, when we were just getting started, and served with distinction. After a year’s hiatus, where she served at the College of Central Florida, she’s back to once again head up membership and community outreach.

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When the farmland watchdogs sound the alarm, you'll hear first.