“Compared to previous years, the outlook remains strong, with continued consumer demand for fresh, locally grown produce,” said Susie McKinley, director of the division of marketing and development for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. “Florida’s favorable climate and year-round growing capabilities ensure a consistent and high-quality harvest.”

This fall, Fresh From Florida is highlighting an extensive lineup of seasonal crops including Bell peppers, tomatoes, snap beans, squash, cucumbers, eggplant, avocados, carrots, radishes, watermelons and sweet corn. The season also marks the start of citrus harvest, with early varieties of oranges, tangerines and grapefruit, as well as leafy greens like romaine and the first signs of Florida’s famous strawberry season.

FDACS is backing the harvest with a savvy statewide marketing initiative aimed at keeping Florida-grown produce front-and-center in stores and restaurants. The Fresh From Florida fall campaign spans television, radio, podcasts, digital media and in-store promotions. 

“Our fall marketing campaign showcases the freshness, quality and variety of Florida produce,” McKinley said. “Through our Retail Incentive Program, participating stores can highlight Florida-grown products using circular ads, digital placements, custom displays, recipes and sampling events.”

Now celebrating 35 years, the Fresh From Florida brand has built a loyal following and strong visibility, with more than 1.4 million social media followers across its platforms. In addition to traditional advertising, the program engages directly with consumers through recipes, farmer profiles and educational content that reinforce the value of buying local.

Beyond retail, FDACS continues to expand the program’s reach. In Fiscal Year 2024–2025, the department launched a distributor pilot program with major national partners including Gordon Food Service, What Chefs Want and Performance Foodservice. The initiative promoted more than 10 Florida-grown commodities, including strawberries, tomatoes, Bell peppers, sweet corn, watermelon, squash, cabbage and leafy greens, resulting in millions of dollars in direct sales for Florida growers.

Following its success, additional specialty crops have been added, and What Chefs Want has developed a searchable database that allows distributors and chefs to identify Florida commodities by their local farm sources.

FDACS has also worked closely with the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association and the American Culinary Federation to promote the use of Florida-grown ingredients in restaurants. Participating establishments are encouraged to showcase the Fresh From Florida label on menus, window clings and table tents provided by the department.

“The message is simple: serve Fresh From Florida when in season,” McKinley said. “We want to make it easy for chefs and restaurants to feature and promote locally grown products.”

Through these combined retail and foodservice efforts, the Fresh From Florida program continues to strengthen the connection between consumers and the state’s growers while reinforcing the economic value of local sourcing. 

McKinley noted the program’s visibility and trust remain key to driving both awareness and sales for Florida’s agriculture sector.

“Fresh From Florida continues to be a symbol of excellence for our growers,” she said. “Our goal is to ensure that consumers — whether they’re shopping in stores or dining out — know they’re enjoying the best that Florida has to offer.”