Agriculture 2040/2070

Roughly a third of Florida’s land is currently in agriculture, but development and, to a much lesser degree, sea level rise are projected to result in the loss of about 120 acres of agricultural land a day – or almost 45,000 acres a year – between now and 2070.

The loss of as much as 2.2 million acres of agricultural land over the coming decades will impact the important contributions provided by agriculture to Florida’s economy and quality of life and threaten the conservation values that many of these lands provide.

According to the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Science (IFAS), the direct economic contributions of the agriculture, natural resource, and food industries in 2019 included $106 billion in sales and 1,279,638 jobs.

Florida’s agricultural lands also provide essential ecosystem services including protecting water supply and quality, providing flood control, supporting climate resilience, sequestering carbon, harboring wildlife, promoting outdoor recreation, and more.

A joint project of the University of Florida Center for Landscape Conservation and 1000 Friends of Florida, Agriculture 2040/2070 is intended to shed light on the significant threats facing these lands, and what can be done to lessen impacts over the coming decades.

Visit 1000 Friends of Florida's Agriculture 2040/2070 website to learn more about the potential impacts of population growth and development patterns on Florida's agricultural lands, including in your county.