Small Farming/Urban Farming
Trends in Lee County, Florida
Roy Beckford
Agriculture/Natural Resources Agent
IFAS, Lee County Extension
• A farm is any place from
which $1,000 or more of
agricultural products
were, or normally would
be, produced and sold
during the Census year.
National Farm Numbers
• The 2007 Census of Agriculture counted
2,204,792 farms in the United States, a 4
percent increase from 2002.
• The number of farms nationwide has been
on a declining trend since World War II.
• The latest figure indicates a leveling of this
trend, with a net increase of 75,810 farms.
Farm Numbers
Farm Numbers
• Not all states showed an increase.
• 11 states saw declines in the number of farms
• 39 states saw their farm numbers increase.
Trends
• The 2007 Census of Agriculture shows
a continuation in the trend towards
more small and very large farms.
• Even though the total number of farms
increased nationwide…
• Many individual sectors of production –
including grains and oilseeds, horticulture,
cattle and hog operations –
…saw a decline in farm numbers.
Trends
• Between 2002 and 2007, the number of farms with sales
of less than $1,000 increased by 118,000.
• The number of farms with sales of more than $500,000
grew by 46,000 during the same period.
New Farms -trends
• Underlying the change in farm numbers is the fact that
farms are continually entering and exiting agriculture.
• Since the 2002 Census of Agriculture, 291,329 new
farms have begun operation.
• Farms that began operation between 2003 and 2007
tended to be smaller and have lower sales than all farms
nationwide.
• New farms, on average, had 201 acres of land and
$71,000 in sales.
• By comparison, the average for all farms in the United
Stated was 418 acres and $135,000 in sales.
Farms and Sales
New Farmers, Small Farmers
• New farms tend to be
smaller and have
younger operators who
also work off the farm.
• Operators of new farms
were more likely to be
engaged in occupations
other than farming and to
derive income from nonfarm sources.
New Demographic trends
• In the past five years, U.S. farm operators have
become more demographically diverse.
• The 2007 Census counted nearly 30 percent
more women as principal farm operators.
• The count of Hispanic operators grew by 10
percent, and
• The counts of American Indian, Asian and Black
farm operators increased as well.
Lee County
Sarasota County
Charlotte County
Collier County
Summary of 4 Southwest counties
County
Sarasota
Charlotte
Lee
Collier
Average Number of Farms by Size
1-50 acres
50-499 acres
230
138
800
222
50
70
100
70
> 500 acres
25
34
44
30
• Conclusion: There is an obvious and definite
transition to small/urban farming in Southwest
Florida Counties, more so in Lee County
Small (Family) Farms*
Sales less than $250,000
• Limited-resource farms. Small farms with sales less than $100,000 in
2003 and low operator household income in 2003 and 2004. Household
income is low if it is less than the poverty level in both 2003 and 2004 or
if it is less than half the county median income both years.
• Retirement farms. Small farms whose operators report they are retired
(excludes limited-resource farms operated by retired farmers).
• Residential/lifestyle farms. Small farms whose operators report they
had a major occupation other than farming
• Farming occupation/low-sales. Small farms with sales less than
$100,000 whose operators report farming as their major occupation
• Farming occupation/high-sales. Small farms with sales between
$100,000 and $249,999 whose operators report farming as their major
occupation.
*Farm Typology: The Economic Research Service (ERS) farm classification
What stimulates small farming
• Technology (farm level/value
added)
• New farming techniques
• Access to technology and
education
• Changes in tastes and preferences
• Ethnic needs and demands
• Growth in niche areas
• New urban opportunities
• Local tax incentives
Types of small farm enterprises
• Field Crops
– Feed and Forage
– Fiber, Fuel, Oils
– Food Grains.
• Specialty and Ethnic
Vegetables
• Fruits and Nuts
• Horticultural/Nursery
• Agroforestry/Forest Products
• Livestock/Animals
– Game Related
– Exotic Livestock
– Poultry
– Aquaculture/Fish farming
– Pet and Medicine Related
• Farm and Home Enterprises
– Services
– Recreation and Education
– Value-added Products/Onfarm Processing
Organizing urban farms –local efforts
• Community Gardening (identifying food deserts)
• Lee County Cattlemen/Cattlewomen’s
Organization
• Southwest Florida Goat Club
• Beekeepers Association of Southwest Florida
• Southwest Florida Small Farm Network
• Urban Farmers Association*
*In formative stages
Trends in Education (IFAS)
Courses, classes, seminars include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Introduction to Beekeeping
Goat Production and Management
Southwest Florida small farm conference
New approaches in poultry production for small
operators
Pasture/paddock renovation and management
Urban/community gardening series (101, 201, 301)
Lee County Urban Farm Tour (annual)
Florida small farm and alternative enterprises conference
Southwest Florida Small Farm Network
• The goal is education to
meet small farmeridentified priorities, issues,
and needs with farmer-tofarmer contact and
extension resources.
Southwest Florida Small Farm Network
Some New Farming Enterprises
• ‘Herban Gardens’
– taking advantage
of production and
marketing
Some New Farming Enterprises
• ‘Kapok Farm’
demonstrates
techniques in tropical
aquarium fish
production
Some New Farming Enterprises
• Goat farms
proliferate for
various reasons
Some New Farming Enterprises
Shiitake Mushroom demonstration
Oyster Mushroom demonstration
• Two new mushroom farms recently started
in Lee County.
Some New Farming Enterprises
• Chicken Tractor equipped with automatic
waterer system
Challenges and Opportunities
• County/City Codeenforcement conflicts
• Farm management skillsset development
• Start-up costs/availability
of capital
• Marketing and markets
• Existence of support
systems