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Hillsborough County has more than 1,000 square-miles of landmass, 36 percent
of which is used in agricultural production.
In 2006, Hillsborough
County had 2,969 farms, making it the 2nd most of any county in
the state and 20th highest in the nation. Hillsborough
County also ranks as the 3rd largest producer of agricultural products
in the state and 45th in the nation.
In 2006, Hillsborough County
farms produced more than $763 million in total annual sales.
The
top four crops with the highest sales in Hillsborough County were:
- Strawberries - $272,525,000, representing 36 percent of the
County total agricultural sales
- Ornamental plants - $204,182,427,
with 27 percent of the County’s
total agricultural sales
- Vegetables - $115,000,000, accounting
for 15 percent of the County ’s total agricultural sales
- Aquaculture
- $33,685,700, with 4 percent of the County’s total
agricultural sales
These four commodities together generate 82 percent of the agricultural
sales in the County, using only 11 percent of the total land area devoted
to agriculture.
Each year, agriculture production and its related businesses in Hillsborough
County generate an economic impact of more than $1.4 billion and employ
approximately 20,100 people with $293 million in annual earnings. |
