Florida Agriculture, Natural Resources and Food
The Agriculture, Natural Resource, and Food industries are significant contributors to the economy of the State of Florida and the United States (U.S.). The agriculture, natural resource, and food industries present across the state are unique and diverse, with over 200 commodities produced and contributions extending to activities encompassing commodity production, processing or manufacturing, and the distribution of food, fiber, and related products, along with the provision of supporting inputs and services.
Florida has over 44,000 farm operations active on 9.70 million acres of farmland, which includes 2.87 million acres of cropland (United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service [USDA-NASS], 2023a). In addition to farmland, the state has nearly 16.76 million acres (26,185 square miles) of forest land, representing about 48.8 percent of the state’s total land area, including 14.70 million acres (22,964 square miles) of timberland managed for commercial production (U.S. Forest Service, n.d.).
Commercial fisheries in Florida in 2022 had total landings of 67.05 million pounds, with a dockside wholesale value of $255.42 million. The most valuable species harvested were shrimp, spiny lobster, stone crab, red snapper, red grouper, blue crab, and king mackerel. In addition to wild catch fisheries, Florida has approximately 1,000 certified aquaculture operations.
Food and fiber commodities produced by farms, forests, and fisheries are processed and converted into finished products by processing and manufacturing industries, then moved through wholesale and retail distribution channels to final consumers or to other industry sectors as intermediate goods for further value-added processing. These industries are linked to a broad array of allied suppliers that provide production inputs and supporting services.
Find more information and explore the size, scope, and diversity of operations involved in Florida's agriculture and food system at the links below.
The UF/IFAS EIAP team produces a comprehensive report on the economic contributions of Agriculture, Natural Resource, and Food industries in the State of Florida and the United States (U.S.). Information and downloads related to this project can be found here:
The UF/IFAS EIAP has developed an assortment of quick reference resources highlighting the size, scope, and economic contributions of Florida’s agriculture, natural resource, and food resources
References:
U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service [USDA-NASS] (2023a). 2022 Census of Agriculture: Full Report. USDA. www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2022/index.php#full_report.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. (n.d.). Data and Tools [Dataset]. Forest Inventory and Analysis [FIA] Program. Accessed January 8, 2025, from research.fs.usda.gov/products/dataandtools.
Media Contact:
- Alena Poulin, Marketing and Communications Specialist, (352) 294-7662 / alenarene@ufl.edu