Deseret Ranches refers to the ranching operations of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Central Florida

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Florida

As of year-end 2007, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reported 129,238 members in 25 stakes, 183 wards, 57 branches, 5 missions, and 1 temple in Florida.-History:...

. The Ranches include several organizations including Deseret Ranches of Florida, Deseret Cattle and Citrus, Taylor Creek Management, East Central Florida Services, Agreserves, and Farmland Reserve. Located 7 miles (11 km) east of the Orlando International Airport and 19 miles (31 km) west of Cape Canaveral

Cape Canaveral

Cape Canaveral, from the Spanish Cabo Cañaveral, is a headland in Brevard County, Florida, United States, near the center of the state's Atlantic coast. Known as Cape Kennedy from 1963 to 1973, it lies east of Merritt Island, separated from it by the Banana River.It is part of a region known as the...

, Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

. Currently, Deseret Ranches is the largest cow-calf ranch

Cow-calf operation

A cow-calf operation is a method of raising beef cattle in which a permanent herd of cows is kept by a farmer or rancher to produce calves for later sale. Cow-calf operations are one of the key aspects of the beef industry in the United States and some other countries. In the British Isles, a...

 in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

Geography

This ranch, owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spreads over the three central Florida counties of Osceola

Osceola County, Florida

Osceola County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 172,493. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 244,045, making it the 17th fastest-growing county in the United States. Its county seat is Kissimmee.- History :Osceola County was...

, Orange

Orange County, Florida

Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida and is part of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 1,145,956....

, and Brevard

Brevard County, Florida

Brevard County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the population is 536,521, making it the 10th most populous county in the state. Influenced by the presence of the John F. Kennedy Space Center, Brevard...

. Covering almost 300,000 acres (1200 km²) of land, Deseret Ranch is home to 90 ranchers, their families, and 44,000 head of beef cattle. It is a for profit operation and is not a normal part of the humanitarian efforts of the LDS Church. Gordon B. Hinckley

Gordon B. Hinckley

Gordon Bitner Hinckley was an American religious leader and author who served as the 15th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from March 12, 1995 until his death...

, former president of the church has said, "We have felt that good farms, over a long period, represent a safe investment where the assets of the Church may be preserved and enhanced, while at the same time they are available as an agricultural resource to feed people should there come a time of need."

History

The earliest plans for this ranch were made in 1949, and in 1950 the original 45,000 acres (180 km²) were purchased. Deseret Ranch now covers an area 50 by, with a separate section surrounding Kenansville in Osceola County.

In 2010, the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida

Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida

The Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida is a Circuit Court comprising Orange and Osceola Counties in Central Florida.-External links:*...

 (Orange and Seminole Counties) ruled that Deseret owned and had control over the Taylor Creek Reservoir over the St. Johns River Water Management District

St. Johns River Water Management District

The St. Johns River Water Management District is one of five Florida water management districts that is responsible for managing groundwater and surface water resources in Florida. SJRWMD covers an 18-county region in northeast and east-central Florida...

. This ruling is being considered for appeal. The district wants to increase the draw from 10000000 gallons (37,854,120 l) to upwards of 25000000 gallons (94,635,300 l) daily.

Operations

The LDS Church does not disclose the revenue of the ranch, but it is known that in year 2000 they moved 16 million pounds (7300 t) of calves, which at the time translated to about $16 million in revenue. In 2008, Deseret Ranch discussed selling part of the property for a development near Orlando, Florida

Orlando, Florida

Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...

, but the proposed rezoning was withdrawn prior to approval.

The Deseret Ranch also brings in revenue from the mining of native shell beds (which is used throughout Florida to pave roads), orange groves, hunting permits, and sales of ornamental palm trees.

External links

• Deseret Ranches official site

Florida°N date=July 2009°W