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Florida Crops and Products

Overview of Florida Agriculture

Through a cooperative federal-state program, the Florida Agricultural Statistics Service (FASS) gathers agricultural data and compiles current statistics. This service is provided in cooperation with the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS). FASS provides producers of agricultural commodities with unbiased and reliable information to assist them in making production and marketing decisions. According to the most recent figures available: Florida has 47,500 commercial farms, using a total of 9.25 million acres; Florida ranks second in the value of vegetable production; Florida ranks first in cash receipts for oranges, grapefruit, fresh snap beans, sweet corn, watermelons, fresh cucumbers, squash and sugarcane; Florida ranks second in the production of greenhouse and nursery products; Florida accounts for 65 percent of total U.S. citrus production; Nationally, Florida ranks 11th in beef cows; Florida ranks seventh in agricultural exports with $3.1 billion; Florida is the world leader in phosphate rock production, annually producing 65 percent of the U.S. supply and 10 percent of the world supply.

Value and Percentage of Total U.S. Value of Florida Products
Product	Percent of U.S. Value	Value in Dollars
Grapefruit	72 percent	$207 million
Oranges	62 percent	$1.2 billion
Sugarcane for sugar and seed	52 percent	$551 million
Bell Peppers	46 percent	$296 million
Fresh Market Tomatoes	45 percent	$631 million
Snap Beans	44 percent	$135 million
Squash	28 percent	$57 million
Sweet Corn	25 percent	$189 million
Fresh Market Cucumbers	25 percent	$48 million
Watermelons	23 percent	$113 million
Tangerines	22 percent	$61 million

Farms and Land in Farms

In 2010 Florida had 47,500 commercial farms, using a total of 9.25 million acres.  There were 5,950 farms with sales exceeding $100,000.  The average farm size was 195 acres.  The number of farms in Florida has increased by 3,500 over the past 10 years.

Florida Farms and Land in Farms
Year	Total Number of Farms	Total Acres	Average Farm Size
2010	47,500	9,250,000	195 acres
2009	47,500	9,250,000	195 acres
2008	47,500	9,250,000	195 acres
2007	47,500	9,300,000	196 acres
2006	41,000	9,460,000	231 acres
2005	42,000	9,570,000	228 acres
2004	43,200	9,830,000	228 acres
2003	44,000	10,040,000	228 acres
2002	44,000	10,300,000	234.1 acres
2001	44,000	10,300,000	234.1 acres

Cash Receipts

In 2009 Florida ranked second in the nation in the value of vegetable production, with cash receipts of $1.78 billion.  Florida ranked 7th in all crops with cash receipts of $6.0 billion, and 13th in total cash receipts.  Florida ranked first in cash receipts for oranges, grapefruit, snap beans (fresh market), sweet corn, watermelons, cucumbers (fresh market), squash and sugarcane.

Florida Cash Receipts
Commodity	2008 Receipts	Percent of Total
All Commodities	$7,099,929	100
Citrus	$1,518,797	21.39
Other Fruits and Nuts	$431,274	6.07
Vegetables and Melons	$1,779,527	25.06
Field Crops	$573,253	8.07
Foliage and Floriculture	$695,961	9.8
Other Crops and Products	$998,937	14.07
Milk	$349,999	4.93
Cattle and Calves	$375,149	5.28
Poultry and Eggs	$270,908	3.82
Aquaculture	$60,922	0.86
Miscellaneous Livestock	$45,201	0.64

Horticulture

In 2010 Florida ranked second in the nation in the production of greenhouse and nursery products, with cash receipts totaling over $1.67 billion. In 2009 the wholesale value of Florida floriculture was over $695 million.  

Vegetables, Melons and Berries

The 2009-2010 value of production for the seven major vegetable crops, potatoes, berries, and watermelons totaled $2.09 billion up 11 percent from 2008-2009. Bell peppers, tomatoes, snap beans, cabbage, strawberries, squash, and potatoes showed increases in value from the previous season, while cucumbers, sweet corn, watermelons and blueberries showed declines.

Harvested acreage of the seven major vegetable crops, potatoes, berries, and watermelons totaled 223,500 acres during the 2009-2010 crop season, down 2 percent from the 227,200 acres in the 2008-2009 season. Major vegetables decreases in production included tomatoes, cabbage, strawberries, cucumbers, sweet corn, peppers, snap beans, watermelons and squash.

Citrus

In 2009-2010 Florida accounted for 65 percent of total U.S. citrus production. California produced 31 percent of U.S. citrus, and Texas and Arizona produced the remaining 4 percent. U.S. citrus production for the 2008-2009 season totaled 10.9 million tons, down 8 percent from the previous season. In 2008-2009, 23 Florida counties recorded decreases in production and 7 Florida counties showed increases. Polk had the largest gains and continues to lead with the most acres at 83,471 followed by Hendry, DeSoto and Hardee having over 62,000 acres each.

Florida Citrus Production
Citrus Crop Year	Value
2009-2010	$1,054,716
2008-2009	$993,043
2007-2008	$1,283,994
2006-2007	$1,499,112
2005-2006	$1,024,610
2004-2005	$754,169
2003-2004	$891,500
2002-2003	$787,378
2001-2002	$966,803

Forestry

Despite an increase in forest fragmentation due to urban sprawl and land-use conversion, timber remains a major part of Florida’s economy. In 2005 Florida timberlands totaled 15.6 million acres and supported more harvestable wood volume than at any other time in the previous 18 years. Growing stock volume (trees larger than 5 inches in diameter at breast height and of a commercially valuable species) increased from 619 to 686 million green tons between 1987 and 2005.

Field Crops

The 2010 total value of production for corn, cotton and cottonseed, hay, peanuts, pecans, soybeans, and wheat totaled $285.3 million compared with $257.1 million in 2009, an 11 percent increase. Acreage harvested in 2010 for corn, cotton, hay, peanuts, soybeans, and wheat totaled 599 thousand acres, up 5.5 percent from the 568 thousand acres harvested in 2009. Sugarcane cash receipts made up 70 percent of Florida’s cash receipts from field crops, and Florida ranked number one in the production of sugarcane nationwide. The value of the 2009 crop was $550.6 million dollars, up 38 percent from the value for the 2008 crop.

Livestock

As of January 1, 2011 all cattle and calves, including dairy cattle, on Florida farms and ranches totaled 1.63 million head, down 90,000 from the previous year. Nationally, Florida ranked 11th in beef cows and 19th in total cattle. The average annual beef price of cattle marketed in Florida in 2010 was $76.30 per hundredweight, up from $67.30 per hundredweight in 2009. In 2010 Florida dairies produced 2.13 billion pounds of milk. That same year, the total value of Florida poultry and egg production was $271 million, and the average market price for hogs was $55.10 per hundredweight.

Florida County Value of Agricultural Products Sold in 2007

This information is provided by USDA Ag Census every five years. The next update will be in 2014. Sales for the following counties cannot be disclosed due to a confidentiality requirement: Baker, Clay, Columbia, Duval, Okaloosa, and Union.

Florida Phosphate Facts

Florida is the world leader in phosphate rock production, annually producing 65 percent of the U.S. supply and 10 percent of the world supply. Of all the phosphate in commercial production: 90 percent is used for fertilizer for the production of food and fiber; 5 percent is used for livestock feed supplements; 5 percent is used for vitamins, soft drinks, toothpaste, film, light bulbs, bone china, flame-resistant fabrics, and optical glass.

Exports

In 2010, Florida ranked seventh among the states in the United States with agricultural exports topping $3.1 billion, according to Euromonitor International.

Top Importers of Florida Products - 2010
Country	Total
Canada	$842,794,594
Netherlands	$186,161,891
Bahamas	$164,044,057
Dominican Republic	$146,079,052
Japan	$122,889,728
Over 140 countries imported Florida agricultural commodities in 2010.

Print Resources

• DACS-P-01304 Florida Agriculture by the Numbers 2012 - Statistical Directory (PDF)
• DACS-P-00054 Florida Agriculture by the Numbers 2012 - Summary Brochure (PDF)
• Major Shipping Routes of Florida Products (PDF)

Related Topics

• Crops in Season Now

Related Links

• Florida Agricultural Statistics Service
• UF-IFAS Report on Economic Contributions of Florida Agriculture by County 2010
• UF-IFAS Report on Economic Contributions of Florida Agriculture 2010
• UF-IFAS Report on Economic Contributions of Florida Agriculture 2009
• UF-IFAS Report on Economic Contributions of Florida Agriculture 2008
• UF-IFAS Report on Economic Contributions of Florida Agriculture 2007
• UF-IFAS Agricultural Census Tidbits Series 2007
• USDA Census of Agriculture

Contact Us About Overview of Florida Agriculture

Division of Marketing and Development
Bureau of Development and Information
The Mayo Building
407 South Calhoun Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0800

Christopher Denmark
(850) 617-7330
(850) 617-7331 Fax
Christopher.Denmark@FreshFromFlorida.com

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