Farm-City Week: Roots That Still Run Deep

An Editorial written for the Manatee County Farm City Week Committee by Janyel Taylor

Farm-City Week is a longstanding Kiwanis tradition that celebrates the partnership between rural and urban communities that keeps our food supply safe and plentiful. Manatee County has been rooted in agriculture for more than a century, from beef and dairy cattle to tomatoes, strawberries, peppers, aquaculture, ornamental plants, and more. According to the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture, the number of farms in Manatee County declined from 753 in 2017 to 692 in 2022, while total farmland increased from 192,630 to 219,316 acres. Over the same period, the average farm size grew from 256 to 317 acres. Taken together, these shifts suggest consolidation, fewer but larger operations, indicating that agricultural land remains in active production even as the county grows and changes. That continuity reflects a community committed to sustaining the legacy of agriculture in Manatee County.

Agriculture faces many challenges, from rising production and labor costs, lower commodity prices, higher taxes, increased import competition, natural disasters, and persistent pests and diseases. Yet many producers continue through these headwinds to uphold the legacy of working lands. Manatee County is at a tipping point: with more development ahead, we as residents must make a deliberate effort to support local agriculture. As Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson notes, “Food security is a national security issue.” Manatee County is fortunate to have fresh commodities grown and raised here—so the question is simple: if you want fresh, local products, how will you support agriculture in our county and our state?

Supporting local doesn’t always look like a farmstand purchase. Often it means knowing where producers send their goods. For example, Jones Potatoes grows for Frito-Lay—so when you buy Lay’s potato chips, you’re supporting a local farm. Likewise, Ralph Taylor’s Nurseries doesn’t run a retail garden center, but you can support them by choosing their plants at Home Depot. Once you know where county products end up, choosing local gets easier. And if you want hands-on farm experiences, the Manatee County UF/IFAS Food Systems Directory lists places open to the public, from petting zoos and flower-picking fields to seasonal festivals and guided educational tours, so you can immerse your family in local agriculture.

Agricultural youth programs give students hands-on skills, leadership experience, and real paths into ag careers. In Manatee County, there are twenty-four 4-H clubs and fourteen FFA chapters offering projects across animal science, horticulture, and more. Even if you don’t have school-aged children, you can help by buying an animal or plant at the Manatee County Fair, attending a plant sale hosted by a local horticulture program, or volunteering. These programs need sustained support if we expect the next generation to carry the work forward. According to the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture, only 6.6% of Florida farmers are under age 34, clear evidence that investing in 4-H and FFA is essential to preserving Manatee County’s agricultural legacy.

Supporting local isn’t only about buying products or backing ag education. In Florida, farms pay an annual Tangible Personal Property (TPP) tax on equipment, tractors, harvesters, and more for as long as they own it. A $25,000 statewide exemption helps, and taxes decline as gear depreciates, but the bill returns every year until the equipment is sold, moved, or exempted. The average cost of 1 row crop tractor is roughly $150,000, for just one piece of equipment! Much of this equipment is crop specific and hard to resell to other producers, a form of functional obsolescence that limits recoverable value. Unwarranted taxation drives food costs and causes even thinner margins, which is why supporting proposals, such as this 2026 Florida ballot initiative, to reduce or eliminate TPP on farm machinery is another powerful way to sustain agriculture for both small and large operations.

Farm-City Week is more than a celebration; it’s a reminder that Manatee County’s future still grows from its fields and upholds a longstanding legacy. The question for residents is simple: will we choose habits and policies that keep local agriculture thriving? Our county is growing and changing, and our agricultural producers are adapting, too. As residents, we can help ensure this legacy not only continues but thrives for generations: read labels and choose local, drive a few extra minutes to a produce stand, and support a 4-H or FFA student. Agriculture anchors our county, our state, and our nation. The industry has risen to the occasion time after time; now it’s our turn to step up for the people who feed us.

Interested in the 2025 Farm-City Week Events? Check out the calendar below:

-November 10^th– Soil and Water Speech Contest for 4H and FFA

-November 14^th-Manatee County Agricultural Tour of West Coast Tomato, Orban’s Nursery, Manatee Farms, A.P. Bell Fish Co. put on by UF/IFAS Manatee County

November 15^th-4H & FFA Students at the Bradenton Downtown Market

-November 18^th– Bradenton Kiwanis Farm City Week Luncheon recognizing the Manatee County Agriculturalist of the Year

-November 19^th– Leadership Manatee Program’s Agriculture Day

-November 19^th & 20^th– Ag Ventures Day at the Manatee County Fairgrounds for Manatee County 3^rd graders

-November 21^st– Ag Hall of Fame Luncheon by the Palmetto Historical Commission

-November 22^nd– The 22^nd Annual Manatee County Farm City Week Beef Workshop and Prospect Show in the Mosaic Arena at the Manatee County Fairgrounds