Florida TaxWatch Examines Impact of Census Undercount on Agriculture Industry
Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch released Florida TaxWatch Census Primer: Agriculture. Building on a July 2022 Florida TaxWatch commentary, Looking Back at Census 2020: What Florida’s Business and Community Leaders Need to Know, this primer examines Florida’s history of census undercounts, the impact of an undercount on the agriculture industry, and considerations to support the continued success of the state’s agriculture industry leading up to the 2030 Census.
Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro said, “With the 2020 Census, Florida was one of six states that experienced a statistically significant undercount, ultimately costing us anywhere from $11 billion to $21 billion in federal funding by the end of the decade. The agriculture industry is no exception, with farms – especially those in rural areas – losing out on census-derived federal funding, as well as comprehensive data that could inform their operations, including workforce development and consumer outreach. Florida TaxWatch believes we can and should improve the next census count in order to support the agriculture industry, which is critical to our long-term economic success.”
According to Florida TaxWatch, Florida’s 2020 Census undercount was the state’s most significant loss in decades, with an estimated 750,000 Floridians, or 3.48 percent, not recorded. It was the largest percent undercount among the most populous states in the country, and it cost the state at least $2.1 billion per year.
Moreover, the American Community Survey (ACS) significantly relies upon census data, as it collects demographic and economic characteristics and then estimates their distribution by applying them to population estimates from the census. The Agricultural Census – which is taken once every five years to illustrate the characteristics of farms, including the types and values of crops and livestock – is also developed using census data. Florida TaxWatch notes that a census undercount leads to data limitations with both of these surveys, negatively impacting the agriculture industry and its understanding of where to find the right workforce and consumers for its operations.
Rural counties are particularly susceptible to census undercounts, and more than one-third of Florida’s farms are concentrated in these areas. In Fiscal Year 2022, census-derived federal programs obligated $211 million to Florida’s rural area, but Florida TaxWatch asserts that, with a complete census count, the state could be eligible to more funding from these programs.
As the 2030 Census approaches, Florida TaxWatch invites stakeholders to support Florida’s agriculture industry by 1) staying up to date on census-related issues (see more from the Florida Census Institute), 2) encouraging employees to complete census surveys, 3) advocating for involvement from local businesses and government officials, and 4) investing in the community through grassroots efforts or philanthropic organizations that support achieving a complete census count.
To learn more and access the full report, please click here.
About Florida TaxWatch
As an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit government watchdog and taxpayer research institute for more than forty years and the trusted eyes and ears of Florida taxpayers, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) works to improve the productivity and accountability of Florida government. Its research recommends productivity enhancements and explains the statewide impact of fiscal and economic policies and practices on taxpayers and businesses. FTW is supported by its membership via voluntary, tax-deductible donations and private grants. Donations provide a solid, lasting foundation that has enabled FTW to bring about a more effective, responsive government that is more accountable to, and productive for, the taxpayers it serves since 1979. For more information, please visit www.floridataxwatch.org.