Running head: An Economic Analysis of Florida Farm Size in 2007 and 2017 1

An Economic Analysis of Florida Farm Size in 2007 and 2017

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation
An Economic Analysis of Florida Farm Size in 2007 and 2017 2

Executive Summary

This paper is about the economic analysis of Florida farm sizes in 2007 and 2017. The

data interpreted is a secondary data obtained from the United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service. It is a cross-sectional data which describes all

agricultural operations in Florida in 2007 and 2017. Several variables such commodity, acres

operated, number of operations, data item, domain, net income, and %CV were obtained from

the database. Majority of these data are categorical variables while the values provided for the

net income fall under the numerical category. To generate relationships and possible trends in the

given data, filled maps were generated to visualize how the data are pooled together in a certain

part of a geographic region. In addition, histograms were also created to graphically determine

and summarize the distribution of data in the provided data set. Findings from this analysis show

that Central Florida has the greatest number of agricultural operations and land area in

comparison to the rest of the agricultural districts in the country. However, the data have also

shown that the Southern agricultural district has generated more income in comparison to the

Central district for the combined income data in 2007 and 2017.
An Economic Analysis of Florida Farm Size in 2007 and 2017 3

Economic Analysis of Florida Farm Size in 2007 and 2017

I. Farm Size Comparison Maps

Figure 1. Agricultural Acres Operated in Florida in 2007.

An Economic Analysis of Florida Farm Size in 2007 and 2017 4

Figure 2. Agricultural Acres Operated in Florida in 2017.

Based on figures 1 and 2, it can be observed that the majority of the agricultural land

acres in Florida are situated across the few counties in the central part of the state. Based on the

presented data, Osceola has the largest land area used for agricultural activities measuring at

646,290 acres in 2007 and 525,055 acres in 2017. Next to Osceola is Polk and Palm Beach with

an operational agricultural land area of 487,128 and 487845 acres in 2017, respectively.

Figure 3. Number of Agricultural Operations in Florida in 2007.

An Economic Analysis of Florida Farm Size in 2007 and 2017 5

Figure 4. Number of Agricultural Operations in Florida in 2017.

Based on figures 3 and 4, it can be observed that although majority of the agricultural

farmlands are situated across the central part of Florida, only few counties have existing

agricultural operations. In addition, no drastic changes were observed from the data in 2007 to

2017 which means that majority of the agricultural operations are still situated in Osceola which

has 1339 verified agricultural operations in 2017.

In addition, the farm size number of operations has been observed to decrease through

time as seen in the 2007 and 2017 data. For example, Osceola has a total of 1696 agricultural

operations in 2017 but it was reduced to 1339 in 2017 which means that there is a significant

decrease in these agricultural activities as the advent of technology pushes in which opens more

possibilities to modern food production.

II. Median Versus Average Farm Size

An Economic Analysis of Florida Farm Size in 2007 and 2017 6

Histogram using Average values

35 120.00%
30 100.00%
25
80.00%
20
60.00%
15
Frequency

Frequency
40.00%
10 Cumulative %
5 20.00%
0 0.00%
0 75 7 5 25 .5 75 25 25 re
7 .3 34. 2.1 669 6.8 04. 1.6 Mo
16 3 50 83 10 11 7

Bin

Figure 5. A histogram based on the average number of areas operated.

Histogram using Median Values

25 120.00%

20 100.00%

80.00%
15
60.00%
Frequency

Frequency
10
40.00% Cumulative %
5 20.00%

0 0.00%
0 75 9.5 .25 39 5 5 5 e
9. 1 29 .7 58. 8.2 or
48 6 M

Bin

Figure 6. A histogram based on the median number of areas operated.

Figures 5 and 6 are generated histograms to visualize the distribution of the data

regarding the operated agricultural areas. Based on these figures, figure 5 has shown that the

average area for agricultural operations is 167.375 acres while figure 6 states that the median
An Economic Analysis of Florida Farm Size in 2007 and 2017 7

area for agricultural operations is 29.25 acres. Since the average values has a possibility to

account outliers in the large data set, it can be said that median gives a better visualization and

representation of the central tendency of the given data.

IV. Farm Income Over Time

Table 1. Net Income Measured in 2007 and 2017 in Florida.

Parameter Net Income ($) Grand Total
Central $984,162,000.00 $984,162,000.00
2007 $596,434,000.00 $596,434,000.00
2017 $387,728,000.00 $387,728,000.00
Northeast $262,452,000.00 $262,452,000.00
2007 $142,435,000.00 $142,435,000.00
2017 $120,017,000.00 $120,017,000.00
Northwest $122,407,000.00 $122,407,000.00
2007 $45,377,000.00 $45,377,000.00
2017 $77,030,000.00 $77,030,000.00
Southern $2,128,917,000.00 $2,128,917,000.00
2007 $1,484,029,000.00 $1,484,029,000.00
2017 $644,888,000.00 $644,888,000.00
Grand Total $3,497,938,000.00 $3,497,938,000.00

The presented table shows the income of Florida farms over time. The data is divided

across the agricultural districts which divides the counties: central, northeast, northwest, and

southern. From the table, it can be observed that the agricultural farms in Southern Florida

generated the most amount of income amounting to $2,128,917,000.00 for 2007 and 2017,

combined. Next to the list is Central Florida which generated a combined income of

$984,162,000.00 in 2007 and 2017. Even though Central Florida has the highest number of farm

operations and land area across the country, Southern Florida has managed to outperform Central

Florida in terms of income.