Santa Rosa County Agriculture

Santa Rosa County has a long history of farming, and agriculture is still very important to the local economy. The county leads the state in using conservation tillage, with about 27,000 acres of major crops like cotton, peanuts, and soybeans grown this way. Farmers here also produce some of the highest cotton yields in the country. In 1993, the county had the top dryland cotton yield in the United States.

Santa Rosa County is second in the state for peanut acreage and production, and it often has the best peanut quality. The county also has excellent soil, with about 135,000 acres of top‑quality Class I farmland.

Farm Tour

As the county grows, many people are becoming less familiar with farming. The Santa Rosa County Farm Tour helps residents learn why agriculture and natural resources are important. Each year, about 200 people join the tour. They ride on a charter bus, enjoy a catered lunch, and visit local farms and natural resource sites.

During the tour, the county awards the Farm Family of the Year and recognizes others who have made a big impact on agriculture. The tour began in 1966, making it the longest‑running agriculture and natural resources tour in northwest Florida and one of the oldest in the region.

The tour is planned by a team of agriculture industry leaders, USDA staff, and UF/IFAS Extension personnel.

Escambia River Watershed Project