Food and Resource Economics Department

Spotlight on Florida Cattle

Cattle and Cream

Operations primarily engaged in raising cattle (beef cattle and cattle for dairy herd replacements) and those engaged in milking dairy cattle.

In Florida there are over 1.5 million head of cattle on 3.55 million acres of pasture and rangeland according to the 2022 Census of Agriculture.

As of the 2022 Census of Agriculture, Florida’s annual cow and calf sales were valued at nearly $586 million and annual milk sales were valued at $528 million.

Select Livestock Inventory (2023)

862,000

Beef cattle

98,000

Dairy Cattle

1,560,000

Cattle including calves

Direct Economic Contributions (2022)

$1.12 billion

in sales revenues

4,486

jobs

When considering multiplier effects, Florida’s cattle ranching and dairy operations support $2.01 billion in sales revenue and 8,517 jobs throughout the state’s economy.

Sources

USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. (2024). 2022 Census of Agriculture. USDA-NASS. https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2022/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_1_US/usv1.pdf

USDA/NASS 2023 State Agriculture Overview, Florida, USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. Available at: nass.usda.gov/Quick_Stats/Ag_Overview/stateOverview.php?state=FLORIDA

“Economic Contributions of Agriculture, Natural Resource, and Food Industries in Florida in 2022.” Economic Impact Analysis Program, University of Florida-IFAS, Food & Resource Economics Department, Gainesville, FL, 2024. Available at: fred.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/economic-impact-analysis-program/florida-ag-food-and-resources