The South Florida Agricultural Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization founded to increase public awareness of South Florida’s agricultural industries – including sugarcane, citrus, sweet corn, rice, celery and other crops – through educational and stewardship opportunities.

Florida's Ag Industry

Generates $100 billion annual economic impact 

Florida is known as a premier tourist destination with its miles of sandy beaches, but few people know of its abundant agricultural interests and its vital role in food production.Florida has three million acres devoted to agriculture, which is exported to 170 different countries to the tune of $4 billion worth of food products.

In 2016, in terms of total value of production, Florida accounted for:

• 12% of the total U.S. value of cabbage for the fresh market worth $49 million
• 40% of the fresh market tomatoes (as opposed to those being canned or processed) at $383 million
• 37% of the nation’s snap beans at $106 million
• 36% of the fresh market cucumbers at $66 million
• 31% of cucumbers for processing at $50.8 million
• 29% of fresh market bell peppers at $210 million
• 24% of fresh market sweet corn at $160 million
• 21% of watermelons at $123 million
• 19% of strawberries at $450 million
• 18% of the squash at $30 million

The Everglades Agricultural Area 

providing the nation with fresh commodities 

Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), which includes western Palm Beach County’s Glades area around Lake Okeechobee, had an estimated $1.42 billion in total agricultural sales for 2016-17. The EAA crop production leads the State of Florida and all counties east of the Mississippi River and is one of the ten largest agricultural producing areas in the United States. Palm Beach County has more agriculture than any other county in Florida, with 40% of its land actively farmed. In the South Florida region, Palm Beach County alone generated $1.41 billion in total agricultural sales in 2014-15, ranking it among the top ten counties for highest agricultural revenue in the nation.

The EAA provides:

• sweet corn to supply 1 billion people an ear a day for two months
• rice to feed 150 million people one time a day for two months  
• lettuce for a billion salads a year
• 36 million pounds of radishes annually
• 120 million stalks of celery a year
• cabbage to make 250 million servings of coleslaw a year
• 350 million servings of green beans a year

Why Ag-Venture?

Learn. Explore. Connect.

Florida is known as a premier tourist destination with its miles of sandy beaches, but few people know of its abundant agricultural interests and its vital role in food production. 'Ag-Venture' is designed to give attendees a first-hand look at one of Florida's leading industries. Stops on the three-day Ag-venture include: an airboat tour of Lake Okeechobee, expert-guided visit to a Florida citrus grove, inside tour of a sugarcane mill, a visit sugarcane field operations and other vegetable planting and harvesting operations; along with true farm-to-table meals and opportunities to have one-on-one discussions with farmers, horticulture experts, and industry experts.

Destination: Lake Okeechobee

Hear from HYDROLOGY & ECOLOGY experts on An UNFORGETTABLE AIRBoAT TOUR

Also known as Florida's inland sea, Lake Okeechobee is the second largest natural freshwater lake contained entirely within the United States.  The lake's name dates back to the 16th century when the native people who lived in the area used the Hitchiti words oki (water) and chubi (big) to describe the approx 1000-square-mile lake.

Today, Lake Okeechobee is 730 square miles and it's unique ecosystem is still home to hundreds of plant species, birds, and aquatic animals. The lake is a crucial element to providing fresh water supply for both agriculture and water supply users in South Florida. Additionally, Lake Okeechobee is a destination for tourists, boaters, and hosts 300+ big bass fishing tournaments a year.