Rick Scott Highlights Defense's Important Role in Florida's Economy

Gov. Rick Scott showcased a report from  Enterprise Florida and CareerSource Florida which showed the defense industry added $79.8 billion--9.5 percent of the state’s economy--to Florida last year. 

Scott highlighted the “Economic Impact of Defense Activities in Florida” study which showed the defense industry grew 8.7 percent since 2011 even as the federal government cut defense spending. 

“Despite declining help from the federal government, Florida’s defense industry employed nearly 775,000 Floridians and had a $79.8 billion impact on our state,” Scott said. “This success includes Enterprise Florida’s work to attract and retain companies like Boeing and Lockheed Martin, both of which have recently announced plans to create hundreds of new jobs for Florida families. Florida’s defense industry helps diversify our economy and ensure jobs are available for the Floridians who need them, which is yet another reason we will work with the Legislature to fully fund Enterprise Florida in the upcoming Legislative Session.”
 
Scott noted Florida was home to more than 60,000 active military personnel at 20 major installations and led to 775,000 jobs. Defense was behind agriculture, health-care and tourism as the fourth leading industry in the state.