Agriculture in Florida
ZIP codes in our Florida data
USDA hardiness zones present
Agriculture is one of Florida's oldest and most valuable industries, second only to tourism in economic importance. The state's warm climate lets growers harvest fresh fruits and vegetables through the winter, when much of the rest of the country cannot, making Florida a key supplier of cool-season produce to the national market. For home gardeners, that same climate means an unusually long, and in the far south nearly year-round, growing season.
Farming in Florida
Florida is best known for citrus, especially oranges and grapefruit, much of which is processed into juice, though citrus acreage has declined in recent decades because of disease and weather pressure. The state is also a national leader in winter vegetables such as tomatoes, bell peppers, snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, and squash, along with strawberries and watermelons. Sugarcane grown in the muck soils south of Lake Okeechobee is another major commodity, and the nursery, greenhouse, and foliage plant sector ranks among the largest in the country. On the livestock side, Florida supports a long-established beef cattle industry built around cow-calf operations, plus dairy, poultry, and eggs, while peanuts and cotton are grown in the Panhandle.
Climate and growing conditions
Florida's climate ranges from humid subtropical across most of the peninsula and Panhandle to true tropical at the southern tip and in the Keys. Summers are hot, humid, and rainy, winters are mild, and the frost-free growing season is long, running essentially year-round in the far south. USDA hardiness zones span roughly 8a in the northern Panhandle to 10b and 11a in South Florida and the Keys, so gardeners should check their local zone before choosing perennials.
Major agricultural products
- Oranges and other citrus
- Tomatoes
- Sugarcane
- Strawberries
- Bell peppers
- Nursery, greenhouse, and foliage plants
- Beef cattle
- Watermelons
Hardiness zones in Florida
Growers in Florida fall across these USDA plant hardiness zones (by number of ZIP codes in our data):
Local weather & frost dates in Florida
Open any location for its live forecast, frost dates, and planting calendar:
Counties in Florida
Browse local growing conditions, hardiness zones, and weather by county (67 counties):
Market prices & data for Florida
State overviews combine hardiness-zone data from our ZIP database with public USDA market reports and NOAA climate normals. For farm-level decisions, consult your state's Cooperative Extension service. Page updated Aug 4, 2026.