Florida AG is Big Business

As you consider Florida agriculture, you probably picture citrus groves or cattle grazing in open spaces. But did you know that Florida is the country’s number one source of oranges, tomatoes, watermelons, grapefruit, sugarcane, snap beans and cucumbers, and ranks second in production for bell peppers, strawberries, sweet corn, spring potatoes, peanuts, tangerines and avocadoes.

Peanuts? Yes, you read that right.

Honeybees contribute $120 million annually to our agricultural profile; Florida ranks 4th in honey production in the U.S. Beekeeping is also an important aspect of our agricultural system; commercial pollination services are provided for one third of Florida’s crops.

And Florida produces 90% of the tropical fish that are sold in pet stores around the U.S. Florida is the second largest producer of ornamental horticulture products behind California. Sales of sod, nursery products, trees, shrubs and landscaping services amount to more than $12 billion and contribute 250,000 jobs in the state.

There’s much more… read more here.