County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay unveiled a new “Welcome to the Everglades Agricultural Area” sign on Wednesday, Oct. 7.
The sign, located at 20 Mile Bend, is the gateway to the Glades in western Palm Beach County. The Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) is the winter vegetable capital of the country and a major economic engine for Palm Beach County. The EAA is also the nation’s largest producer of fresh sweet corn and sugarcane.
The replacement sign, designed in coordination with Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association and Florikan, depicts the important goods produced locally, including sweet corn, radishes, celery, sugarcane, lettuce, cabbage, rice and mangoes.
In terms of total agricultural receipts, Palm Beach County continues to be the largest county east of the Mississippi River. The EAA is the epicenter of agricultural production — primarily sugarcane and 30 types of vegetables with 500,000 acres annually harvested.
This community project was spearheaded by the Lake Okeechobee Regional Economic Alliance of Palm Beach County and supported by area farmers and local officials in the Glades.
