Hillsborough Agriculture
Agriculture has a long tradition in Hillsborough County, from cattle introduced by the early Spanish explorers to the strawberry industry in the Plant City area, and the national reputation of Ruskin tomatoes. Agriculture has historically been Hillsborough County’s largest single industry. Despite the perception that Hillsborough is an urban county, 34 percent of its land area is farmland.
In 1974, Hillsborough County became the first county in the state to develop a long-range plan to project the proposed appearance of the county a quarter of a century later. That plan became known as Horizon 2000. While the plan was a yeoman attempt to plot the influences of land use and needs within the county, its projections raised a red flag for the agriculture community.
At that time, Hillsborough’s population was over 400,000 and its agricultural farm revenue was a robust $50 million. Horizon 2000 projected that the county’s population at the turn of the 21st century would be 1.13 million and that agriculture would become a relic of the past.
Fortunately, that dire projection didn’t come true. While the county’s population exceeded a million in the year 2000, the county’s agricultural community boasted a farm value of over $650 million, and remained the largest single industry county-wide.
During the past 20 years the alarm over the potential loss of agriculture in Hillsborough County has slowly evolved into an assurance that agriculture will not only hold its own, but will prosper in the years to come. That evolution was a direct result of a sequential process that increased awareness within the agricultural community, developed the innate leadership potential of the county’s growers, and provided reliable educational materials to influence the mindset of the local political community.
But the best was yet to come.
In 1995 the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau, in cooperation with several other organizations, took part in the Hillsborough County Agriculture Task Force, a county-appointed agricultural advisory board. The charge given to this group was to first determine the current state of agriculture in Hillsborough County and then make recommendations to improve the industry’s economic sustainability. To demonstrate the current state of the industry, the Task Force commissioned an economic impact study. That study revealed that agriculture had an economic impact of $1.5 billion per year on the county, provided a tax surplus to the county and that the opportunity cost of agriculture could compete very well with development.
Based on the revelations that came out of the study, the Task Force recommended that the Hillsborough County initiate an Agriculture Industry Development Program to ensure that a positive business atmosphere exists to promote the continuation and expansion of agriculture in Hillsborough County. The Task Force also recommended that the county form the Agriculture Economic Development Council, comprised of agribusiness, local chambers of commerce, government, industry and business leaders. The Agriculture Economic Development Council and the Agriculture Industry Development Program both began in April 1998. The purpose of the Council is to provide recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners on agriculture-related matters and provide guidance to the Agriculture Industry Development Program.
Hillsborough County Farm Bureau has been very active in this organization. The County Farm Bureau President has permanent position on the Council, along with other Farm Bureau Board of Director Members with appointed seats.
The partnership between the Hillsborough County Agriculture Industry Development Program, the Hillsborough County Agriculture Economic Development Council, and the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau is a model for encouraging the long-term continuation of agriculture. As we sustain agriculture, we will continue to enjoy rural and wide-open spaces, wildlife habitat, aquifer recharge, economic diversity in the community, a net surplus in tax revenues and access to a fresh food supply. That’s what sustainability is all about.
The Council for Sustainable Florida is pleased to present the 2005 Sustainable Florida Business Partnership Award to Hillsborough County Agriculture Industry Development Program, Hillsborough County Agriculture Economic Development Council, and Hillsborough County Farm Bureau.