Agriculture in Florida

Agriculture plays a major role in the history and economy of the American state of Florida. The relatively warm climate of Florida gives it a competitive position for many markets in the United States. Florida was once the main producer of citrus fruit in the United States and is especially famous for its oranges, which are mainly made into orange juice. However, today California produces more citrus than Florida, with Florida accounting for only 17% of the US crop in 2024.

Besides citrus, Florida grows many other important crops such as bell peppers, tomatoes, sugarcane, peaches, strawberries, and watermelons. The state also produces a small amount of grape wine.

The agricultural industry in Florida has used a lot of water and has had a big impact on the environment, including the Everglades. Labor issues have been part of the industry since colonization, beginning with slave labor and continuing with exploited workers.

Major Crops

Citrus

Citrus farming in Florida started in the 1500s, but it became a big business in the 1920s. During World War II, scientists worked to create a better orange juice for soldiers. They made frozen concentrated orange juice, which became very popular because it was tasty, affordable, and full of vitamin C. Later, new types of juice like "not from concentrate" were developed. Oranges are very important to Florida's economy and are the official beverage of the state.

Mangoes

Main article: Mango production in Florida

Florida is the biggest mango grower in the United States. The first mango farm was planted there in 1833. Famous people like Henry Ford and Thomas Edison grew mangoes as a hobby.

Peach

Peaches have been grown in Florida since the 1500s, brought by the Spanish. They became an important export crop to the mid-Atlantic states, with Baltimore as a key distribution hub. Peach farming is growing because of challenges with citrus crops, though Florida produces far less than California. The harvest season is from late March to late May or early June.

Strawberry

Strawberry is an important crop in Florida, second only to California. The Plant City area grows most of America's winter strawberries. The state's Strawberry Festival is held there each March. Florida scientists work hard to create better strawberry varieties that can resist diseases.

In 2024, Florida grew strawberries on 16,200 acres, producing 3.32 million hundredweight and earning around $540 million, making it the highest-value fruit crop in the state.

Tomatoes

Main article: Tomato production in Florida

Florida is the top producer of fresh-market tomatoes in the United States. Tomatoes are harvested almost year-round, with the most produced from April to May and November to January. In 2024, Florida grew tomatoes on 24,000 acres, harvesting 6.38 million hundredweight and earning $331 million.

Sugarcane

Florida is the largest producer of sugarcane in the United States, which is mainly turned into sugar. Sugarcane farming began in Florida in the 1760s and grew a lot after the U.S. stopped importing sugar from Cuba in 1960. Most sugarcane is grown near Lake Okeechobee, where the weather is warm and the growing season is long.

Other crops

Florida has a big business growing decorative plants, worth about $2.3 billion. This includes plants you might see in gardens, like those from nurseries, greenhouses, flowers, and grass for lawns.

The state also grows many vegetables, such as tomatoes and celery. Florida is the top place in the U.S. for growing sweet corn and green beans. It is almost the only place that grows saw palmetto berries, which some people use for health reasons.

Florida is one of the main places in the U.S. to grow persimmons, along with California. People have been growing them there since the 1870s.

Florida also makes wine from grapes and other fruits. People have been growing wine grapes there longer than anywhere else in North America.

Livestock

Aquaculture

See also: Aquaculture of sea sponge

The earliest known aquaculture in Florida was practiced by the Calusa kingdom. In the late 20th century, the wild fishery of whiteleg shrimp was overtaken by the development of aquaculture production; this began in 1973 in Florida using shrimp captured in Panama, that were used in hatcheries for larvae production.

Florida's clam aquaculture industry is centered on Cedar Key. Oysters are raised on oyster farms in Florida's coastal waters including the Indian River Lagoon.

Freshwater aquaculture operations for commercial finfish production have been in operation since the 1980s. These produce products like catfish, American eel, tilapia, and hybrid striped bass.

In 2020, the Florida aquaculture industry had over 1,000 certified farms producing over 1,500 aquatic species. Florida leads the US in ornamental fish production, contributing 45% of the national market. In 2024 the aquaculture industry in Florida had gross sales of $165 million. The largest sector of Florida’s aquaculture industry by production value is ornamental fish.

Environmental concerns

Main article: Environmental issues in Florida

The Everglades Agricultural Area is an important place for farming. However, farming can harm the environment, especially by polluting water. Lake Okeechobee has been affected by pollution from farms, particularly from too much phosphorus running off from fields. The lake also faces pollution from cities and factories. Farms and cities together put too much nitrogen into Tampa Bay, which can also harm the water there.

Labor

In the past, many farm workers in Florida were slaves. Today, many farmworkers come from other countries, and some work temporarily under special rules.

In recent studies, most citrus workers in Florida were either temporary guest workers or unauthorized immigrants. These workers often earn low wages and face many challenges. Some workers live in special housing provided by their employers, which can be hard to access for others.

Risks

Climate change

Climate change brings big challenges for farming in Florida. As temperatures rise, crops may not grow as well, and higher levels of carbon dioxide can make food less nutritious. Extreme weather and rising sea levels also threaten farms, affecting water for crops and increasing problems with pests and diseases. Farmers are trying new technologies and researching better ways to protect plants and animals from these changes.

Extreme weather

Florida’s farms often face strong storms like hurricanes and tropical storms. These big storms can hurt farms, especially citrus crops. For example, Hurricane Ian in 2022 was a very strong storm that damaged many orange trees and reduced citrus production. Strong winds and heavy rain can knock down trees and spread diseases, causing both environmental and economic damage.

Pests and diseases

Farmers in Florida also deal with many pests and diseases that can harm crops. One big problem is citrus canker, a bacterial infection that spreads and can reduce citrus farming by a lot. Another issue is citrus greening, an incurable disease spread by a small insect. Other pests like the Fall Armyworm and the Red Imported Fire Ant also cause damage to many crops. Farmers work hard to manage these threats using different methods to protect their plants.

Irrigation

See also: Floridan aquifer and Water wars in Florida

Irrigation is very important for farming in Florida, especially for crops that need a lot of water like sugarcane, citrus, and fresh vegetables. In 2022, about 1.7 million acres of farmland in Florida used irrigation, taking about 1,811 million gallons of water each day on average.

The main crops that needed irrigation were sugarcane, citrus, and fresh vegetables. Farmers also use water in the winter to protect crops from freezing temperatures. In addition, some water is used for livestock and fish farming.

Production

In 2002, peppers and tomatoes were the top two crops in Florida in terms of money made, with citrus fruit, especially oranges, also being very important. By 2019, tomatoes became the top crop, followed by oranges and then peppers. When it comes to exports, meat brings in the most money for Florida.

In 2019, Florida was the top state in the United States for growing fresh market bell peppers, tomatoes, grapefruit, oranges, sugarcane, and watermelons.