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Three counties make up half California's ag output

Fresno, Tulare and Kern counties combined to produce over $25 billion in food and fiber last year.

Todd Fitchette, Associate Editor

October 8, 2024

2 Min Read
Kern County agriculture
Grapes and citrus were among Kern County's leading crops in 2023.Todd Fitchette

The ag geek in me always looks forward to crop report season, which for the “Big 3” is typically late summer.

California law mandates that each of the counties report gross agricultural receipts each year to the Department of Food and Agriculture. This year two of those three counties came on the same day – a rare one given what some may call a bit of a competition into who will be No. 1.

Fresno, Tulare and Kern counties are what I call the “Big 3” for their gross output. Regardless of who rises to the top each year, the combined output of these San Joaquin Valley counties is roughly half of California’s total agricultural value. Last year they combined to produce over $25 billion in food and fiber. These figures showcase the gross amount paid as raw commodities left the farm. They do not reflect profit or loss.

For those keeping track, Kern County was No. 1 last year with a record $8.62 billion in gross receipts, led by grapes, citrus and pistachios. Each achieved individual values of over $1 billion. Fresno County followed closely at $8.58 billion. Tulare was third as $7.86 billion.

Commodity prices are largely responsible for which of the three make it to No. 1. As was the case this year, Tulare’s bronze medal placement came from a $7 per hundredweight drop in milk prices from the previous year. Tulare County annually produces well over 10 billion pounds of milk, which is more than most states.

Related:Tulare milk checks shrunk by $7 per cwt in ‘23

Table grape prices were a considerable driver this year for Kern County.

Fresno County likewise achieved a record crop value in 2023, despite softer prices for raisins, a major component of the region’s annual production.

While the counties are required by law to submit these reports, the annual surveys of farmers by the counties are voluntary. We may never know what the true value of agriculture is in these counties as the annual participation rate from these farmer surveys is rarely, if ever, 100%, though I’m told county ag department staff members try to get as much participation as possible.

Ryan Jacobsen, CEO of the Fresno County Farm Bureau, regularly encourages farmers to respond to the annual county surveys “because the numbers are only accurate if they’re complete.”

Jacobsen said the county ag commissioners take great responsibility in aggregating the numbers to avoid alluding to personal incomes of farmers. For large commodities like milk, tree nuts and many fruits and vegetables, this can be easily achieved. For farmers growing niche crops that number in just a few acres, or one-off crops, those are lumped into a miscellaneous category. The values are still there to report to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, but it protects the privacy of farmers who may be one of a few growers of a given commodity.

Related:Kern values unfazed by Tropical Storm Hilary

About the Author

Todd Fitchette

Associate Editor, Western Farm Press

Todd Fitchette, associate editor with Western Farm Press, spent much of his journalism career covering agriculture in California and the western United States. Aside from reporting about issues related to farm production, environmental regulations and legislative matters, he has extensive experience covering the dairy industry, western water issues and politics. His journalistic experience includes local daily and weekly newspapers, where he was recognized early in his career as an award-winning news photographer.

Fitchette is US Army veteran and a graduate of California State University, Chico. 

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