08/28/2026
Just your reminder to support your local farms as often as you can 😭 Every time you shop local, you are not only supporting a family, but you are supporting a healthier alternative for your community! ♥️
TOTAL FARM COUNTS DECLINE I am speaking 1st hand, last year we shut our 10 acre farm down due to increased operation cost and extreme weather over a 3 year period. I'm not whining, because we are still at it just on a smaller scale and a new direction. Every small farm within 30 miles of Lithia is feeling the pressure.
Here is some food for thought (or the lack of it) Data from the last Census of Agriculture show Florida Lost 2887 Farms from 2017 to 2022, about 577 annually. Florida loses roughly 45,000 acres of agricultural land each year,
that is about 120 acres a day. A total of 20.1 million agriculture acres were lost in the US during this 5 yr period. That's about the size of Maine. Florida is projected to lose 400,000 agricultural acres by 2040 and 2 million acres by 2070. Main Causes: Rising Cost. Higher prices for labor, fuel, and fertilizer squeeze profit margins. Environmental pressure of extreme weather, freezes, and a increasing foreign market competition add strain to the farmer. Development, high demand for housing and commercial building leads to land sales. We are getting older, the average farmers age in Florida is about 59.5 yrs. The industry is seeing a dramatic decline in young people entering Agriculture as producers. Specialty crops and small farms are particularly vulnerable. These trends affect our local economies and food supply chain. Every time you purchase from local Farmer or producer you are increasing their profits by eliminating wholesalers, retailers, and shipping associated cost. In addition the goods produced are fresh from the farm in days compared to weeks in conventional sales chains offering you a much longer shelf life.
These vital farm acres not only produce food they offer natural habitat to a array of local wildlife protected from increasing urban development. Every Meal has a Farmer Support Local