DeSoto County, Florida · 2022 Census of Agriculture
What does DeSoto County, Florida grow?
Of the crops tracked here, DeSoto County's biggest by acreage are oranges (42,234 acres), hay (5,403 acres) and watermelon (1,424 acres). Its farms sold $218 million of crops and livestock in 2022, 16th of 67 counties in Florida.
Among US counties with published figures, it ranks near the top for oranges (4th of 66 counties), grapefruit (8th of 37 counties), squash (17th of 1,253 counties) and bell peppers (18th of 1,211 counties).
- Farm sales, 2022
- $218 million753rd of 3,050 US counties
- Farms
- 689293,944 acres of farmland
- Crops vs. livestock
- 83% cropsshare of farm sales
- Items reported
- 3323 published, 10 withheld
County map
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2022 Census of Agriculture.
What does DeSoto County grow the most of?
Crops ranked by acres harvested (bearing acres for orchards), 2022 Census of Agriculture.
How does DeSoto County rank?
Each item's rank among counties in Florida and in the US, by the 2022 Census of Agriculture measure shown. An asterisk means the rank is among counties with published figures; a county whose figure is withheld could rank higher.
| Item | Amount | State rank | US rank | Share of FL | Measure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oranges | 42,234 acres | 3* | 4* | 13% | bearing acres |
| Squash | 753 acres | 4* | 17* | 7% | acres harvested |
| Grapefruit | 1,102 acres | 2* | 8* | 7% | bearing acres |
| Cattle | 65,480 cattle | 6 | 287* | 4% | head on farms |
| Watermelon | 1,424 acres | 7* | 21* | 4% | acres harvested |
| Bell peppers | 475 acres | 5* | 18* | 3% | acres harvested |
| Hay | 15,177 tons | 28 | 1,763* | 1% | production |
| Milk | 1,210 milk cows | 6* | 557* | 1% | head on farms |
| Cucumbers | 258 acres | 6* | 37* | 1% | acres harvested |
| Soybeans | 7,980 bushels | 12* | 1,810* | 1% | production |
| Hogs | 144 hogs | 34* | 1,458* | under 1% | head on farms |
| Goats | 299 goats | 54 | 1,804* | under 1% | head on farms |
| Blackberries | 2 acres | 13* | 340* | under 1% | bearing acres |
| Corn | 20,325 bushels | 21* | 2,116* | under 1% | production |
| Tomatoes | 50 acres | 9* | 104* | under 1% | acres harvested |
Show all 23 items
| Item | Amount | State rank | US rank | Share of FL | Measure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheep | 38 sheep | 58* | 2,550* | under 1% | head on farms |
| Green beans | 27 acres | 13* | 139* | under 1% | acres harvested |
| Strawberries | 9 acres | 10* | 160* | under 1% | bearing acres |
| Cabbage | 3 acres | 11* | 229* | under 1% | acres harvested |
| Lettuce | 4 acres | 9* | 224* | under 1% | acres harvested |
| Eggs | 928 laying hens | 41* | 1,754* | under 1% | head on farms |
| Chickens | 4,830 broiler chickens | 9* | 624* | under 1% | head sold |
| Lemons | 31 acres | 7* | 16* | bearing acres |
Also reported here, but withheld by NASS to protect individual farms: onions, cauliflower, tangerines, blueberries, avocados, figs, pecans, macadamia nuts, turkeys and honey.
What livestock does DeSoto County raise?
| Animal | Head | State rank | Measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cattle | 65,480 | 6 | head on farms |
| Broiler chickens | 4,830 | 9* | head sold |
| Milk cows | 1,210 | 6* | head on farms |
| Laying hens | 928 | 41* | head on farms |
| Goats | 299 | 54 | head on farms |
| Hogs | 144 | 34* | head on farms |
| Sheep | 38 | 58* | head on farms |
Other farm counties in Florida
| County | Farm sales |
|---|---|
| Palm Beach County | $1.3 billion |
| Miami-Dade County | $1.1 billion |
| Hillsborough County | $704 million |
| Hendry County | $633 million |
| Orange County | $395 million |
| Collier County | $388 million |
| Manatee County | $322 million |
| Polk County | $304 million |
| Okeechobee County | $302 million |
| Suwannee County | $290 million |
| Lake County | $277 million |
| Volusia County | $251 million |
About this data
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2022 Census of Agriculture, the only NASS source that covers every county. The Census is taken every five years; the next is for 2027. Values NASS withholds to avoid disclosing individual farms are shown as withheld, never as zero. Data processed 2026-11-06. Methodology.