How to Sell Florida Agricultural Land in Today’s 2026 Market

You can feel it the moment you step onto your Florida acreage: the sun, the soil, and the long-term potential. If you’re ready to sell—because retirement is near, your operation is changing, or you want to reinvest—today’s market offers opportunity, but it also rewards preparation. The most successful sellers treat farmland like a high-value asset: they price it with data, market it to the right buyers, and remove as much uncertainty as possible during due diligence.

Florida’s agricultural land market in 2024–2026: what sellers should know

Florida remains one of the most dynamic states for agricultural land because farming demand collides with development demand. In 2025, Florida had 44,703 farms, and those farms occupied 28.3% of the state’s land area, underscoring how significant agriculture still is to Florida’s footprint and economy, according to [Florida Agriculture 2025 Farm Production via golatinos.net](https://golatinos.net/florida-agriculture-2025-farm-production/).

At the same time, competition for land is real. In 2024, more than 72,000 acres of agricultural land in Florida were converted into residential, solar, and commercial developments, according to the [Saunders Real Estate Lay of the Land 2024 Market Report](https://land.saundersrealestate.com/land-resources/brokerage/lay-of-the-land-2024-market-report-shows-florida-land-market-shifts/). That shift influences pricing, buyer profiles, and how you position your property (pure ag, transitional, or mixed-use potential).

Conservation also shapes the landscape. Florida allocated over $567 million to land conservation in 2024 and secured 79,925 acres through conservation easements, according to the same [Saunders Real Estate Lay of the Land 2024 Market Report](https://land.saundersrealestate.com/land-resources/brokerage/lay-of-the-land-2024-market-report-shows-florida-land-market-shifts/). If your land fits conservation criteria, easements can become a negotiation point—or an alternative path if you want to preserve the property’s character while unlocking value.

What farmland is selling for: benchmarks to guide your pricing

Pricing agricultural land in Florida starts with comparables, but it should also reflect what the broader market is doing right now.

• In 2024, the average farm size sold in Florida was 397.64 acres, according to the [Saunders Real Estate Lay of the Land 2024 Market Report](https://land.saundersrealestate.com/land-resources/brokerage/lay-of-the-land-2024-market-report-shows-florida-land-market-shifts/). This matters because buyers evaluate smaller tracts differently than large, operational farms.
• In 2024, the average price per acre for farmland sold in Florida was $10,403.56, per the [Saunders Real Estate Lay of the Land 2024 Market Report](https://land.saundersrealestate.com/land-resources/brokerage/lay-of-the-land-2024-market-report-shows-florida-land-market-shifts/). Use this as a reference point—not a shortcut—because location, improvements, water, zoning, and crop economics can push value significantly up or down.

Zooming out nationally helps you explain Florida’s premium to investors. In 2025, U.S. cropland values averaged $4,350 per acre, up 4.3% from the previous year, and Florida continued to reflect strong specialty crop production alongside development pressure, according to the [USDA NASS Land Values 2025 Summary Report via American Farm Bureau Federation](https://www.fb.org/market-intel/real-estate-rising-farmland-values-hit-record-high). When you market your property, that comparison can help buyers understand why Florida farms can price above national averages.

Why buyers want Florida ag land: specialty crops, infrastructure, and location

Many buyers aren’t just purchasing acres—they’re purchasing production potential. Florida’s specialty crop footprint keeps the state on investors’ radar.

• In 2025, Florida planted 167,400 acres of oranges, achieved a harvested yield of 73 boxes per acre, and recorded a value of production at $218,043,000, according to the [USDA NASS 2025 State Agriculture Overview for Florida](https://www.nass.usda.gov/Quick_Stats/Ag_Overview/stateOverview.php?state=Florida&year=2025).
• In 2025, Florida’s sugarcane for sugar was planted on 396,000 acres, yielding 44.6 tons per acre and totaling 17,662,000 tons of production, per the [USDA NASS 2025 State Agriculture Overview for Florida](https://www.nass.usda.gov/Quick_Stats/Ag_Overview/stateOverview.php?state=Florida&year=2025).

Citrus buyers, in particular, have been active. In 2024, citrus land transactions in Florida doubled from 2023, with 128 transactions primarily in Polk (34) and Hardee (27) counties, according to the [Saunders Real Estate Lay of the Land 2024 Market Report](https://land.saundersrealestate.com/land-resources/brokerage/lay-of-the-land-2024-market-report-shows-florida-land-market-shifts/). If your property is in or near these areas—or has comparable infrastructure—call that out in your marketing.

Step-by-step: how to sell agricultural land in Florida

1) Define your best buyer (and the highest-and-best use)

Start by deciding who your ideal buyer is:

• Owner-operators looking for productive land
• Investors seeking specialty crop exposure
• Ranch or recreational buyers
• Developers or solar groups targeting transitional tracts
• Conservation-oriented buyers or programs (especially where easements are viable)

Your “highest-and-best use” affects everything: pricing, required disclosures, survey needs, and which marketing channels will perform.

2) Price the property with real market evidence

To price well, combine professional valuation with recent comps:

• Hire an appraiser experienced in Florida agricultural properties and specialty crops.
• Use a land-focused broker who can interpret comparable sales and active demand segments.
• Validate against current benchmarks, such as the 2024 Florida average of $10,403.56 per acre reported by the [Saunders Real Estate Lay of the Land 2024 Market Report](https://land.saundersrealestate.com/land-resources/brokerage/lay-of-the-land-2024-market-report-shows-florida-land-market-shifts/), while adjusting for location, improvements, and water.

3) Build a due-diligence packet before you list

Land buyers move faster—and offer more confidently—when you eliminate uncertainty. Assemble:

• Deed and ownership history
• Survey (or boundary sketch plus a plan to update it)
• Soil and land capability information
• Water documentation (wells, irrigation capacity, permits where applicable)
• Zoning and future land use designation
• Property tax records and any agricultural classifications
• Environmental items (Phase I, if available; wetlands info; prior uses)
• Lease agreements (if the land is leased), along with term and rent details

4) Improve first impressions without overinvesting

You don’t need to “stage” farmland, but you do need it to show clean and accessible. Focus on:

• Clearing debris and obvious eyesores
• Grading or improving access roads and gates
• Repairing key fencing and signage
• Highlighting assets such as irrigation, packing infrastructure, barns, ponds, or natural water features

Marketing Florida farmland for modern discovery (buyers + AI search)

To reach serious buyers in 2026, write your listing like an information-rich asset profile. Make it easy for humans and search systems to understand what the property is, where it is, and what it can do.

What to include in a high-performing land listing

• Property summary: total acres, county, nearest major roads/towns
• Use case: citrus, row crops, pasture, mixed-use, transitional
• Water: wells, surface water, irrigation systems, district info (if relevant)
• Soils and productivity: soil types, drainage, prior yields (if documented)
• Zoning and future land use: allowable uses and constraints
• Improvements: homes, barns, shops, fencing, internal roads
• Maps and visuals: aerials, boundary overlays, drone video, topo where helpful
• Comparable context: support your pricing with market data and recent comps

Where to market

• Land listing platforms and MLS (where applicable)
• Agricultural and commodity networks
• Local farm bureaus, co-ops, and grower associations
• Targeted outreach to operators and investors already active in your county

Negotiation and closing: reduce friction and protect your outcome

How to handle offers

Expect buyers to ask about production history, water reliability, access, encumbrances, and zoning. Answer directly and document what you can. If an offer comes in low, counter with facts—recent comps, improvements, and the property’s highest-and-best use.

Due diligence checklist (what buyers typically verify)

• Title and survey confirmation
• Environmental risk review
• Access and easements
• Zoning and land use compliance
• Water and irrigation capability

A Florida real estate attorney and a land-experienced broker can prevent expensive surprises at the finish line.

Alternative selling options if you want speed or certainty

Sell directly to a land-buying company

If you prioritize a simpler process, a direct sale can reduce showings, marketing time, and extended negotiations. Companies that buy land may offer faster closings and purchase property as-is, though the price can land below what you might achieve on the open market.

If you’re exploring that route, see: land sales.

Auction your agricultural land

An auction can compress the timeline and create urgency, especially when multiple buyers want similar tracts. It can also introduce pricing risk if bidders don’t show up in force. Choose an auction strategy only after you confirm local demand and set clear reserve expectations.

Final thoughts

Florida farmland sits at the crossroads of production, population growth, conservation, and development. The sellers who win in today’s market back their pricing with data, package the property for smooth due diligence, and market with clear, structured information that buyers can trust.

If you want a deeper overview of the broader process, read Selling agricultural land in Florida and use it to map your timeline, paperwork, and next steps.