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Florida Farms and Ranches: Agriculture History, How Farms Make Money and Strategy

Guide updated November 2026

Florida farms sold $10.2 billion of agricultural products in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, up 39 percent from 2017, from 44,703 farms on 9.7 million acres. The state is unusual because its largest sales come from floriculture and nursery crops, vegetables and melons, not from the grain and livestock that dominate most states, while cattle, sugarcane and citrus still shape its landscape.

Florida agriculture at a glance
Farms and land in farms44,703 farms on 9,701,400 acres; 34,167 (76.4%) family-owned (2022 Census)
Top commoditiesFloriculture and nursery ($3.48 billion), vegetables and melons ($1.92 billion), field crops ($1.26 billion), fruit and nuts, berries, cattle
Market value of ag products sold$10,224,600,000 in 2022, up 39.0% from 2017; average $228,723 per farm
State agriculture departmentFlorida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS)
Land-grant extensionUniversity of Florida IFAS Extension
Farm BureauFlorida Farm Bureau Federation

Agriculture in Florida: A Short History

Florida cattle ranching is among the oldest in North America, with Spanish-era roots, and it grew with the open range of central and south Florida. Families such as the Lykes, who exported cattle to Cuba from the 1870s, and the Adams family, who began ranching in St. Lucie County in 1937, built large operations that still define parts of the state. Today Okeechobee County leads in cattle, with 157,001 head, and the 2022 Census counted 1,574,057 cattle and calves statewide.

Citrus and sugar followed. Citrus grew from groves such as the Lykes farm in Hernando County into a juice-processing industry, and U.S. Sugar was founded in 1931 in Clewiston. Citrus bearing acreage has since fallen sharply: 351,946 acres in 2022, down 21.1 percent from 2017, while sugarcane covers 397,583 acres, about 18.6 percent of field crop acreage. Palm Beach, Miami-Dade and Hillsborough are the top counties by sales.

How Farms in Florida Make Money

Nursery, vegetables and fruit

Floriculture, with $3.48 billion in sales, is 34 percent of the state total, and vegetables and melons add $1.92 billion. Berries bring $634.9 million and fruit and tree nuts $809.7 million. Winter production for northern markets is the core advantage. Palm Beach sweet corn and Hillsborough strawberries, both top county commodities in the Census, rely on that calendar.

Cattle, dairy and sugar

Cattle and calves contributed $586 million in 2022. Cow-calf ranches such as Adams Ranch and Deseret Ranches sell calves to feeders, and Larson Dairy shows that a few large family dairies remain. Sugarcane is the largest field crop, and U.S. Sugar adds citrus, vegetables, cattle and renewable power.

Diversification and agritourism

Aquaculture brought $191 million, honey $39.8 million, and many ranches add hunting leases, conservation easements, hay, sod and direct beef. Adams Ranch sells natural beef, and Larson's Family Tree Enterprises adds hay, sod and nursery sales.

Agriculture Strategy for Florida Farms

Soils, water and climate

Most Florida farmland has sandy, low-organic soils, flat terrain and high water tables, so irrigation, drainage and nutrient management are daily tasks. Water is regulated through regional water management districts, and runoff into Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades is a major concern. Ranches have used retention reservoirs, as Deseret Ranches did with its award-winning Jug Island Reservoir. Hurricanes, freezes and heat should shape site, structure and insurance decisions.

Production and risk

Pests and disease drive citrus decisions: bearing acres fell 21.1 percent in five years. Diversify into crops with different cycles, as U.S. Sugar does. Federal crop insurance, NAP and disaster programs through FSA, and NRCS conservation cost-share for fencing, water and grazing systems, are standard tools to manage storms and price swings.

Technology and inputs

UF/IFAS research on breeding, irrigation and nutrient timing is available through county extension offices. Cattle producers use Brahman-influenced breeds such as Braford for heat tolerance, and dairies use genomics and activity monitoring, as Larson Dairy does. The Florida Automated Weather Network offers local weather data for irrigation and frost decisions.

Farm Business Strategy in Florida

Margins and markets

Florida's edge is timing: winter vegetables, berries and ornamentals reach northern buyers when local supply is low. Contracts with packers, cooperatives and processors set price floors, so know your buyer and your cost per unit. Large ranches protect margins by owning genetics, as the Adams family does with Braford, or by selling beef directly.

Land, credit and succession

Land values near cities are driven by development, so many ranches use conservation easements to receive value without selling. The state's Rural and Family Lands Protection Program and federal easement programs are tools to explore with FDACS and NRCS. FSA loans and Farm Credit of Florida serve beginning and established farmers, and the 2022 Census shows an average principal producer age of 59.5, so succession planning matters. Families such as the Larsons and Adamses have kept multi-generation ownership by giving family members distinct operating roles.

Marketing and diversification

Cooperatives, direct beef sales, agritourism, hunting and ecosystem service payments broaden income. Leadership in associations such as the Florida Cattlemen's Association and Farm Credit boards gives producers earlier access to market information. Selling co-products, as U.S. Sugar does with power and molasses, converts waste into revenue.

Farm Insight: Florida Trends to Watch

Three trends matter. Floriculture and vegetables have overtaken traditional commodities, citrus acreage keeps shrinking and cattle farm numbers fell 18.8 percent from 2017 to 17,435 while herd inventory fell only 3.8 percent, indicating consolidation toward larger operations. Rising land values and storms keep pressure on small and mid-sized producers.

Winners combine scale, genetics or niche markets with stewardship credentials. Deseret Ranches, Adams Ranch, U.S. Sugar, Lykes Bros and Larson Dairy, profiled below, show how large and family operations adapt: diversify income, document stewardship and train the next generation.

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Elite Farms and Ranches in Florida

These 12 operations are profiled in full, with history, how each makes money, lessons for other farms and published contact details.

Elite operations in Florida

Notable working farms and ranches in Florida

Established, successful commercial operations that are not national headline names but show how good farms in Florida actually earn a living.

Who to Contact in Florida: Agriculture Offices and Associations

Florida Farming FAQ

How many farms are in Florida?

The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 44,703 farms on 9,701,400 acres.

What is Florida's top agricultural category?

Floriculture and nursery crops, with $3.48 billion in sales, followed by vegetables and melons at $1.92 billion.

Where is Florida cattle country?

Okeechobee County leads with 157,001 head of cattle and calves, according to the 2022 Census.

Which Florida operations are profiled here?

Deseret Ranches, Adams Ranch, U.S. Sugar, Lykes Bros and Larson Dairy.

Florida farms succeed by combining a long growing season with careful water, risk and succession planning. Read the profiles below to see how Deseret Ranches, Adams Ranch, U.S. Sugar, Lykes Bros and Larson Dairy apply these strategies.

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