Agriculture in Florida
Agriculture and citrus production have been part of Florida since before statehood. This guide from the State Library of Florida explores their role in Florida history and in modern times.
If you work in agriculture, citrus or related industries for the State of Florida, and you have a State Library card, you can access e-books, online journals and other resources for free.
We can also deliver books and research articles directly to your office.
Other researchers can request most of these materials through their local public library.
Links within the bibliographies take you to information in our catalog or to more information on external sites.
Agriculture in history
- Florida Board of Forestry. Biennial Report. Tallahassee, FL: 1928-1968.
- Florida Citrus Commission. Annual Report. Tallahassee, FL: 1949-1969.
- Harris, Joy Sheffield. A Culinary History of Florida: Prickly Pears, Datil Peppers & Key Limes. Charleston, SC: American Palate, 2014.
- Kendrick, Baynard, and Barry W. Walsh. The History of Florida Forests. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida, 2007.
- LaGodna, Martin M. “Agriculture and Advertising: Florida State Bureau of Immigration, 1923-1960.” Florida Historical Quarterly 46.3 (1968): 195–208.
- Moore, T. W. Treatise and Hand-Book of Orange Culture in Florida. Jacksonville, FL: Ashmead Bros., 1881.
- Patterson, Gordon M. The Mosquito Wars: A History of Mosquito Control in Florida. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida, 2004.
- Pauly, Philip J. Fruits and Plains: The Horticultural Transformation of America. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2007.
- Scott, John M. What and When to Plant in Florida. Tallahassee, FL: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 1928.
- State Archives of Florida. “Agricultural Experiment Station.” Florida Memory. Florida Division of Library and Information Services.
- State Archives of Florida. “Bittersweet: The Rise and Fall of the Citrus Industry in Florida.” Florida Memory. Florida Division of Library and Information Services.
- State Library of Florida. “Pioneer Florida.” Florida Division of Library and Information Services.
Agriculture today
Reports and statistics
- Florida Agricultural Statistics Service. Florida Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Summary. Orlando, FL: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 1991-present.
- Florida Citrus Commission. Annual Report. Tallahassee, FL: 1969-present.
- Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Annual Report. Tallahassee, FL: 1890-present.
- Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Cottage Food Legislation: Frequently Asked Questions. Tallahassee, FL: 2012-present.
- Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Florida Aquaculture Plan. Tallahassee, FL: 1999-present.
- Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Learning About Florida Invaders (PDF). Tallahassee, FL: 2014.
- Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Preguntas frecuentes sobre la ley de alimentos caseros. Tallahassee, FL: 2015-present.
- Florida Forest Service. FLForestry News. Tallahassee, FL: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 2014-present.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture. Census of Agriculture.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture. National Agricultural Statistics Service.
- U.S. Forest Service. Treesearch.
Professional resources
- Chown, Steven. Insect Physiological Ecology: Mechanisms and Patterns (E-Book). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2004.
- Davies, Frederick Stanley, and Larry Keith Jackson. Citrus Growing in Florida. 5th ed. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida, 2009.
- Goldberg, Walter M. The Biology of Reefs and Reef Organisms. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2013.
- Knight, Gary R., ed. Atlas of Florida’s Natural Heritage: Biodiversity, Landscapes, Stewardship, and Opportunities. Tallahassee, FL: Institute of Science and Public Affairs, 2011.
- Laszlo, Pierre. Citrus: A History. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2007.
- McComb, Brenda C. Wildlife Habitat Management: Concepts and Applications in Forestry. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2008.
- Moore, Lisa Jean, and Mary Kosut. Buzz: Urban Beekeeping and the Power of the Bee. New York, NY: New York University Press, 2013.
- Ward, Jr., Carlton, comp. Florida Cowboys: Keepers of the Last Frontier. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida, 2009.
- Warner, Keith. Agroecology in Action: Extending Alternative Agriculture Through Social Networks (E-Book). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2007.
- Watkins, John V., Thomas J. Sheehan, and Robert J. Black. Florida Landscape Plants: Native and Exotic. 2nd rev. ed. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida, 2005.
