AGRICULTURE
ONCE KING, AGRICULTURE MAKING
COMEBACK ON TREASURE COAST
6
BY BERNIE WOODALL
TCBusiness.com
CATTLE AND CALVES ON FARMS
2019 2017 Change
OKEECHOBEE 175,000 185,000 -5.4%
ST. LUCIE 38,000 39,500 -3.7%
MARTIN 38,000 39,000 -2.6%
BREVARD 22,000 23,500 -6.3%
INDIAN RIVER 19,000 19,300 -1.5%
Source: USDA
PEARCE CATTLE CO.
It’s hot work as riders move calves at the Pearce Cattle Company Ranch in Okeechobee County, the largest cattle county in Florida.
Unlikely to regain previous status,
but citrus on rebound
Agriculture has been a prime driver
for the Treasure Coast economy for
most of its modern history. More than
a century ago, pineapples were the
top crop. Pineapples were eventually
replaced by other crops, particularly
citrus, which along with cattle ranching
continued to dominate the economic
landscape until air conditioning and
interstate highways helped boost tourism
and industries tied to exponential
population growth, including home
construction.
Now, industries tied to healthcare
and retail businesses are the biggest
employers, each with about 26,000
workers in Indian River and St. Lucie
counties, and retail is tops in annual >>
/TCBusiness.com
