Florida farmland faces threats from development and climate change

Florida farmland faces threats from development and climate change

Florida's agricultural land is rapidly shrinking due to increasing development and climate change, jeopardizing the state's position as a major supplier of fresh winter produce in the United States.

Meryl Davids Landau reports for National Geographic.


In short:

  • Florida's farms, which provide a large portion of the nation's winter produce, are at risk of being converted to residential and commercial uses by 2070.
  • Climate change and rising sea levels also threaten Florida's agricultural land, potentially reducing the state's capacity to produce fruits and vegetables.
  • Florida farmers face financial pressure due to competition with Mexican imports and lack sufficient legal protection against land conversion.

Key quote:

“Once farmland is converted to a neighborhood, it can’t reverse back. If you lose farmland, it is gone.”

— Zhengfei Guan, agricultural economist

Why this matters:

The loss of Florida's farmland could disrupt the U.S. winter produce supply and increase reliance on imported fruits and vegetables. This dependency raises concerns about pesticide use and food security, impacting both health and environmental sustainability.

Collapsed house on a beach after a hurricane.

Trump administration considers overhauling FEMA’s role in disaster relief

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she would advise President Donald Trump to dismantle the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in its current form and give local officials more control over disaster aid distribution.

Ian Duncan reports for The Washington Post.

Keep reading...Show less
Senator Whitehouse & climate change

Senator Whitehouse puts climate change on budget committee’s agenda

For more than a decade, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse gave daily warnings about the mounting threat of climate change. Now he has a powerful new perch.
Scientist holding clear glass beaker.
Credit: CDC/Unsplash

Scientists face disruptions as Trump’s orders freeze research funding

Researchers across the U.S. are grappling with halted payments and uncertainty after Trump’s executive orders affected federal grant funding, sparking concerns about political interference in science.

Eric Holthaus reports for The Guardian.

Keep reading...Show less
White and blue solar panels.

Trump's freeze on clean energy funds hits Republican districts hardest

President Trump’s halt on federal clean energy funding is stalling billions in investments, with most of the economic fallout affecting Republican-led states that had benefited from Biden-era climate incentives.

Lisa Friedman, Brad Plumer and Harry Stevens report for The New York Times.

Keep reading...Show less
Refinery buildings lit up at night and spewing smoke from smokestacks.

New EPA Region 6 leader has deep ties to industry-friendly policies

Scott Mason IV, a former Oklahoma energy official and advisor to the conservative Project 2025 initiative, will oversee the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Region 6, which includes Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Arkansas, Oklahoma and 66 tribal nations.

Martha Pskowski reports for Inside Climate News.

Keep reading...Show less
person wearing a hard hat and holding air quality monitoring equipment in HVAC room.

Environmental group left in limbo after federal grant suddenly vanishes

A South Carolina environmental nonprofit lost access to a $365,000 federal grant after the Trump administration froze Inflation Reduction Act funds, leaving critical air monitoring projects in marginalized communities at risk.

Lisa Sorg reports for Inside Climate News.

Keep reading...Show less
Blue EV charger attached to a white car.

Order to halt EV charger funding faces hurdles

President Donald Trump has ordered states to stop using federal funds for electric vehicle chargers, but legal and market forces may limit his ability to derail the expansion.

Alexa St. John and Isabella O’Malley report for The Associated Press.

Keep reading...Show less
Wind turbines on green hills under cloudless sky at dusk.

Clean energy advocates shift focus to jobs and profits in new messaging

Clean energy leaders are emphasizing economic benefits over climate concerns, hoping to appeal to policymakers who prioritize financial growth over environmental action.

Seth Borenstein and Alexa St. John report for The Associated Press.

Keep reading...Show less
From our Newsroom
wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

People  sitting in an outdoors table working on a big sign.

Op-ed: Why funding for the environmental justice movement must be anti-racist

We must prioritize minority-serving institutions, BIPOC-led organizations and researchers to lead environmental justice efforts.

joe biden

Biden finalizes long-awaited hydrogen tax credits ahead of Trump presidency

Responses to the new rules have been mixed, and environmental advocates worry that Trump could undermine them.

Op-ed: Toxic prisons teach us that environmental justice needs abolition

Op-ed: Toxic prisons teach us that environmental justice needs abolition

Prisons, jails and detention centers are placed in locations where environmental hazards such as toxic landfills, floods and extreme heat are the norm.

Agents of Change in Environmental Justice logo

LISTEN: Reflections on the first five years of the Agents of Change program

The leadership team talks about what they’ve learned — and what lies ahead.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.