Editors' Summary

Many policies aimed at conserving agriculture have failed because they are not comprehensive enough. A successful program should seek to maintain agricultural viability, preserve ecosystem services, and manage development into desired areas. Growth management, the interdisciplinary expansion of land use planning, provides an institutional structure for this comprehensive solution. With its unparalleled natural resources, a strong agricultural industry, and one of the strongest growth management systems in the nation, Florida provides a perfect laboratory for integrating these concepts. The Rural Lands Stewardship Act and the Florida Ranchlands Environmental Services Project, used as case studies, show how progress is being made to integrate growth management and ecosystem services to conserve agriculture.