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.
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.
About the Author
You May Also Like