Conservation Fund buys Jimmy Carter's Georgia family farm for $8.5 million

The Conservation Fund, a nonprofit land group, announced Monday that it bought former President Jimmy Carter's family farm outside Plains, Georgia, for $8.5 million. The land covers roughly 2,458 acres. The group plans to preserve it and eventually open it to the public ¹.

Carter, the nation's 39th president, grew up on the land and returned to it throughout his life ¹. He died in December 2024 at age 100 ¹.

What happens to the land

The Conservation Fund plans to transfer the property to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources in 2028. That would expand the nearby Lanahassee Creek Wildlife Management Area to nearly 7,000 acres ¹².

The land could open for hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities as early as 2027 ¹². WTVM reports that much of the property has been replanted with young longleaf pine. A stand of mature longleaf pine was kept at Carter's request ².

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WTVM also reports that the land provides habitat for the threatened gopher tortoise. Nearby creeks support rare freshwater mussels ².

What they said

Stacy Funderburke is the Conservation Fund's vice president for the central Southeast region. He said the group looks forward to "the day it is open to everyone who wants to experience it" ¹.

For our family, this land was always about more than a farm.

Carter's grandson, Jason Carter, also thanked the group. He said the land was "home — a place my grandparents treasured" ¹.

Long before Jimmy Carter protected millions of acres across America, he was a boy working the fields and roaming the woods of southwest Georgia

A farm boy who protected public land

Carter spent much of his childhood working beside his father on the farm, growing peanuts and other crops. He returned to Plains in 1952 after leaving the Navy following his father's death, to take over the family business ¹.

As president, Carter signed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980. It protected more than 104 million acres. The Hill describes it as the largest expansion of protected public lands in U.S. history ¹.

That matters because the sale ties his boyhood home to the conservation record he built in office. The same land he worked as a boy is now set to be kept as wildlife habitat and, later, public ground.

The Conservation Fund helped Georgia set up the Lanahassee Creek wildlife management area in 2019, WTVM reports ². The Carter farm would be added to that existing area.

The announcement does not say who will manage the farm until the 2028 transfer. Public access dates are described as possible, not final. The 2027 opening is the earliest date given ¹.

The Record

1. Jan 1, 1952Carter returned to Plains after leaving the Navy following his father's death, to take over the family business ¹.
2. Jan 1, 2019The Conservation Fund helped Georgia establish the Lanahassee Creek Wildlife Management Area ².
3. Dec 1, 2024Jimmy Carter died at age 100 ¹.
4. Nov 9, 2026The Conservation Fund announced it bought the roughly 2,458-acre farm for $8.5 million ¹.

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<h2>Conservation Fund buys Jimmy Carter&#39;s Georgia family farm for $8.5 million</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files Receipts Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/conservation-fund-buys-jimmy-carter-s-georgia-family-farm-for-8-5-million">The GOP Files</a> on Monday, November 9, 2026.</em></p> <p>The Conservation Fund, a nonprofit land group, announced Monday that it bought former President Jimmy Carter&#39;s family farm outside Plains, Georgia, for $8.5 million. The land covers roughly 2,458 acres. The group plans to preserve it and eventually open it to the public .</p> <p>Carter, the nation&#39;s 39th president, grew up on the land and returned to it throughout his life . He died in December 2024 at age 100 .</p> <h2>What happens to the land</h2> <p>The Conservation Fund plans to transfer the property to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources in 2028. That would expand the nearby Lanahassee Creek Wildlife Management Area to nearly 7,000 acres .</p> <p>The land could open for hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities as early as 2027 . WTVM reports that much of the property has been replanted with young longleaf pine. A stand of mature longleaf pine was kept at Carter&#39;s request .</p> <p>WTVM also reports that the land provides habitat for the threatened gopher tortoise. Nearby creeks support rare freshwater mussels .</p> <h2>What they said</h2> <p>Stacy Funderburke is the Conservation Fund&#39;s vice president for the central Southeast region. He said the group looks forward to &quot;the day it is open to everyone who wants to experience it&quot; .</p> <blockquote><p>For our family, this land was always about more than a farm.</p><p>&mdash; Jason Carter, grandson of former President Jimmy Carter</p></blockquote> <p>Carter&#39;s grandson, Jason Carter, also thanked the group. He said the land was &quot;home — a place my grandparents treasured&quot; .</p> <blockquote><p>Long before Jimmy Carter protected millions of acres across America, he was a boy working the fields and roaming the woods of southwest Georgia</p><p>&mdash; Stacy Funderburke, vice president for the central Southeast region, The Conservation Fund</p></blockquote> <h2>A farm boy who protected public land</h2> <p>Carter spent much of his childhood working beside his father on the farm, growing peanuts and other crops. He returned to Plains in 1952 after leaving the Navy following his father&#39;s death, to take over the family business .</p> <p>As president, Carter signed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980. It protected more than 104 million acres. The Hill describes it as the largest expansion of protected public lands in U.S. history .</p> <p>That matters because the sale ties his boyhood home to the conservation record he built in office. The same land he worked as a boy is now set to be kept as wildlife habitat and, later, public ground.</p> <p>The Conservation Fund helped Georgia set up the Lanahassee Creek wildlife management area in 2019, WTVM reports . The Carter farm would be added to that existing area.</p> <p>The announcement does not say who will manage the farm until the 2028 transfer. Public access dates are described as possible, not final. The 2027 opening is the earliest date given .</p> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/conservation-fund-buys-jimmy-carter-s-georgia-family-farm-for-8-5-million">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/conservation-fund-buys-jimmy-carter-s-georgia-family-farm-for-8-5-million.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

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Sources

1. The Hill, “Conservation Fund buys Jimmy Carter family farm in Georgia” (2026-11-09). thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/6208406-jimmy-carter-f
2. WTVM, “Conservation Fund acquires Jimmy Carter's family farm in Plains” (2026-11-09). wtvm.com/2026/11/09/conservation-fund-acquires-jimmy-carters

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