Economic Contributions of Agriculture, Natural Resource, and Food Industries in Florida and Comparisons to the United States in 2022
Summary
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 economic contributions of these industries were evaluated for calendar year 2022 to update previous reports from the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Economic Impact Analysis Program (EIAP) in support of informed decision making by industry stakeholders, researchers, educators, and policy makers.
Analyses of this type capture not only the direct economic activity within these industries, but also the indirect activity supported throughout the regional economy via supply chain relationships, and induced activity generated by re-spending of household income earned by employees of directly and indirectly supported industries. This analysis includes 96 industry sectors that represent the broad array of 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. Economic contributions are measured in terms of employment, industry output, value added, exports, labor income, other property-type income, and business taxes.
Overall economic contributions of the Agriculture, Natural Resource, and Food industries in 2022 include:
- Direct employment of 1.66 million full-time and part-time jobs, and total employment contributions (including multiplier effects in other sectors) of 2.70 million jobs, representing 19.7 percent of the state workforce
- Direct industry output or sales revenues of $217.83 billion, and total output contribution of $422.33 billion
- Foreign and domestic exports of $45.91 billion that represents new money entering into the Florida economy
- Total value-added contributions of $213.36 billion, representing 14.9 percent of Gross State Product (equivalent to Gross Domestic Product)
- Total labor income contributions of $126.12 billion, which includes employee wages, fringe benefits, and proprietor income
- Total local, state, and federal government tax contributions on production and imports of $20.53 billion
Across the major industry groups, total employment and total value-added contributions include:
- Crop, Livestock, Forestry, and Fisheries Production: 171,997 jobs, $12.53 billion
- Agricultural Inputs and Services: 206,898 jobs, $16.78 billion
- Food and Forest Product Manufacturing: 280,978 jobs, $31.42 billion
- Food and Related Product Distribution: 2.04 million jobs, $152.64 billion
Excluding Food and Related Product Distribution, the total employment contributions of all other industry groups were 659,873 jobs and the total value added contributions were $60.72 billion.
Economic contributions estimates were also summarized in the report for seven agricultural market groups that have identifiable supply-chain linkages between sectors involved in production, processing/manufacturing, and distribution for a specific group of commodities.
Geographically, the size and composition of agriculture, natural resources, and food industries varies dramatically across the state of Florida due to differences in climate, natural resource endowments, population, and settlement patterns. Within Florida, economic contributions of the Agriculture, Natural Resource, and Food industries were largest in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa-St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Bradenton, and Jacksonville areas where there are high levels of demand and large workforces available for the industry.
During the period 2001 to 2022, total employment contributions in the state’s Agriculture, Natural Resource, and Food industries increased by 42 percent, or an average annual rate of 2.0 percent for the 21-year change, and total value-added contributions grew by 61 percent, or 2.9 percent annually, in inflation adjusted terms.
As a special feature for this study, national information on the Agriculture, Natural Resource, and Food industries was compiled to provide a comparison between Florida and all other states in the U.S. The State of Florida was ranked third in direct industry employment in the production, inputs-services, and manufacturing industry groups in 2022 and ninth in direct value added.
Downloads
- Report: 2022 Ag., Natural Resource & Food Industries Economic Contributions and Comparisons to the U.S.
- Suggested Citation: Court, C.D., Hodges, A.W., Botta, R., Ulrich, J., & McDaid, K. (2026). Economic Contributions of Agriculture, Natural Resource, and Food Industries in Florida and Comparisons to the United States in 2022. UF/IFAS Economic Impact Analysis Program, Food and Resource Economics Department, University of Florida. https://fred.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/economic-impact-analysis-program/florida-ag-food-and-resources/Contributions-Report
- Infographic: 2022 Ag., Natural Resource & Food Industries Economic Contributions
- Suggested Citation: Court, C.D., Hodges, A.W., Botta, R., Ulrich, J., & McDaid, K. (2026). Economic Contributions of the Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Food Industries in Florida, 2022 Infographic. UF/IFAS Economic Impact Analysis Program, Food and Resource Economics Department, University of Florida. https://fred.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/economic-impact-analysis-program/florida-ag-food-and-resources/Contributions-Report
- (Forthcoming) EDIS Publication: Economic Contributions of Agriculture, Natural Resource, and Food Industries in Florida in 2022
- Suggested Citation: Court, C.D., Hodges, A.W., Botta, R., Ulrich, J., & McDaid, K. (2026) [Forthcoming]. Economic Contributions of Agriculture, Natural Resource, and Food Industries in Florida in 2022. EDIS.
- Quick Guide: 2025 Florida’s Agriculture and Food System Fast Facts
- Suggested Citation: Court, C.D., McDaid, K., & Qiao, X. (2025). Florida Agriculture and Food System Fast Facts 2025 [Booklet]. UF/IFAS Economic Impact Analysis Program, Food and Resource Economics Department, University of Florida. https://fred.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/economic-impact-analysis-program/florida-ag-food-and-resources/fast-facts
- Fact Sheet: Florida Agriculture, Natural Resource, and Food Facts
- Suggested Citation: Court, C.D., Hodges, A.W., Botta, R., Ulrich, J., & McDaid, K. (2026). Florida Agriculture, Natural Resource, and Food Facts. UF/IFAS Economic Impact Analysis Program, Food and Resource Economics Department, University of Florida. https://fred.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/economic-impact-analysis-program/florida-ag-food-and-resources/Contributions-Report
- Fact Sheet: Agriculture, Natural Resource, and Food Industries in Florida Counties, 2022
- Suggested Citation: Court, C.D., Hodges, A.W., Botta, R., Ulrich, J., & McDaid, K. (2026). Agriculture, Natural Resource, and Food Industries in Florida Counties, 2022. UF/IFAS Economic Impact Analysis Program, Food and Resource Economics Department, University of Florida. https://fred.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/economic-impact-analysis-program/florida-ag-food-and-resources/Contributions-Report
Media Contact
- Alena Poulin, Marketing and Communications Specialist, (352) 294-7662 / alenarene@ufl.edu
Suggested Webpage Citation
Court, C.D., Hodges, A.W., Botta, R., Ulrich, J., & McDaid, K. (2026). Economic Contributions of Agriculture, Natural Resource, and Food Industries in Florida and Comparisons to the United States in 2022. UF/IFAS Economic Impact Analysis Program, Food and Resource Economics Department, University of Florida. Retrieved [date] from https://fred.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/economic-impact-analysis-program/florida-ag-food-and-resources/Contributions-Report