OKEECHOBEE – Okeechobee County Commissioners have proclaimed Nov. 18-25 as Farm-City Week in Okeechobee. The action came at the Nov. 12 commission meeting in the Historic Okeechobee County Courthouse.

According to researchers at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, the following Agriculture Facts were reported as of July 2018:

• Florida is first in the nation in the value of production of cucumbers, grapefruit, squash, sugarcane, fresh market tomatoes, radishes, guavas, mangoes, passion fruit watermelon and kumquats; and, first in production of non-food products, tropical foliage plants, cut flowers and cut florist greens, potted flowering plants, aquatic plants and ornamental fish.

• Florida’s agriculture and natural resources industries manage about two-thirds of the state’s land area. This land is critical to our water supply, air quality, climate, wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation.

• Florida has 47,000 farm operations; 9.45 million acres of farmland;

• Florida agriculture provided 2.3 million full and part-time jobs; and $149.6 billion in value-added contribution to the state’s contribution to the Gross State Product in 2018.

• Total value of agriculture production as of 2018 was $10.2 billion (direct output by crop, livestock, forestry, fisheries)

• The value of fruit and vegetable crops $6.03 billion and provided 90,050 jobs as of 2015.

• International exports of Florida’s agricultural products from Florida seaports and airports in 2017 were valued at $5.778 billion.

• Agriculture and related businesses provide 49.7% of the jobs in Okeechobee County.

Mickey Bandi of Okeechobee Farm Bureau said due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they could not hold the annual Farm-City luncheon this year. He said 4-H and Future Farmers of America clubs have strict regulations regarding the safety of the members which make participation in such an event impossible due to the pandemic. He said they hope to bring the luncheon back in 2021.