b'SIGNSOF THESEASONTHE BUSINESS OF BLOOMS:FLORIDA CONTINUES TO LEAD IN HORTICULTURE AND FLORICULTUREAs one of the nations great agricultural powerhouses, its no surprise that Floridas horticultureand floriculture industries are some of the most impressive in the nation. Asof2024,therewere44,000farmsandranchesindustries such as wholesalers) account for 279,000merchant wholesalers, and $288 million from florists. in the state of Florida, utilizing 9.7 million acres tojobs in our state, a 4.8% increase from 2022 and a 20%While many in the US imagine Florida as the land produce a wide variety of agricultural products. Thisincrease since reporting began in 2015.of sand and sun, its also one of the nations most production represents a total of $8.88 billion in cashWhile a large portion of this growth is driven byimportantstatesforagriculture.Horticultureand receipts,up12%fromthepreviousyear.Ofthis,theexpansionofthelandscapeservicessectorinfloriculture are a part of our identity, and as these 77.3% of cash receipts were from crops, with the restresponse to our growing population, about 8,116 newnumbers show, theyll continue to be so well into the from products such as livestock and milk.jobs were added in the nursery production sector, upfuture. The leading crop commodities in Florida, as of themore than 43% since 2011. most recent numbers, are floriculture, followed byCurrently,greenhouseandnurseryproductionby RYAN MILEJCZAKsugarcane, oranges, and strawberries. In total, out ofemploys just shy of 27,000 people in Florida, whileSponsored by Farm Credit of Central Floridathese $8.88 billion in cash receipts: 3,314 florists are employed in our state. There are also7.6% is from citrusnearly 8,000 people employed by the nursery andFINANCING 19.6% is from vegetables and melons florist merchant wholesalers industry. 8.9% is from sugarcane WhiletherehasbeenaslightreductionintheTHE FUTURE 3.6% is from field cropstotalnumberofnurseries(1,109establishments6.7% is from other fruits forthemostrecentnumbers,comparedto1,121FarmCreditofCentralFloridaisan13.2% is from floriculture establishments two years prior), total workers in thisAgriculturalCreditAssociation.We17.8% is from other crops industry have risen. This is likely due to a combination of consolidation and expansion in this industry.providefinancingforFarms,Homes When it comes to floriculture alone, Florida has theThese green industry jobs together create more than&Landacross13countiesinCentral highest sales of any state (perhaps unsurprising for$7.6 billion in direct wages and compensation, andFlorida.WehaveofficesinLakeland, a state whose name can be translated as the land ofalmost$13.8billionindownstreamincome.ThisPlant City, Brooksville, and Apopka. For flowers"), with a total of $1.2 billion in floriculturerepresents an increase of 21.2% from 2020, and helps sales for 2023. This is compared to $983 million forsupportfamilies,schools,andbusinessesacrossmore information check out our website.the runner-up, California, and $695 million for theour state. In fact, total wages paid in Floridas green number 3 spot, Michigan.Financing for Farms,industries has more than doubled since 2015. ThisisdespiteFloridarankingnumber5intotalOf these wages, just over $1 billion went to greenhouseLand and Homesfloriculture operations; as of 2023, there were 675andnurseryproduction,nearly$443millionto total floriculture operations in the state, compared tonursery and merchant wholesalers, and almost $112CALL US TODAY 866-245-3637746 for the top spot, California.million to florists.FarmCreditCFL.comThetop3floriculturecropsinFloridabyareaThe total economic contributions of Floridas green cultivated are cut flowers (99.4 million sq ft), indoorindustry are up almost $8 billion (48%) from 2020,NMLS# 685850foliage (94.6 million sq ft), and bedding/garden plantsand $11 billion higher than in 2015. These industries (55.1 million sq ft).support $24 billion in GDP contributions, of whichflytnIncludinglandscaping,Floridasgreenindustriesover$4billionisfromgreenhouseandnursery (floriculture,horticulture,landscaping,andrelatedproduction,$2billionfromnurseryandflorist'