California’s Total Farm Production Expenditures totaled $31.2 billion in 2011, up 3.2 percent from the 2010 estimate of $30.2 billion. California had the largest percentage of the U.S. total at 9.8 percent. Expense items showing the largest increases from the previous year were: Feed, up $640 million; Fertilizer, Lime and Soil Conditioners, up $290 million; and Livestock, Poultry and Related Expenses, up $220 million; The three largest decreases occurred in: Labor, down $390 million from 2010; Interest, down $260 million; and Farm Services, down $240 million.

Expenditures per California farm averaged $382,699 in 2011, compared with $369,767 in 2010. On average, California producers spent the most per farm on Labor at $93,620, Farm Services at $66,871 and Feed at $62,209.

U.S. production expenditures

U.S. Total Farm Production Expenditures were $319 billion in 2011, up from $289 billion in 2010. The 2011 Total Expenditures rose 10.3 percent compared to 2010 Total Expenditures. Expense items showing increases from the previous year were: Feed, up $9.20 billion; Livestock, Poultry and Related Expenses, up $4.20 billion; Fertilizer, Lime and Soil Conditioners, up $4.10 billion; Fuel, up $2.40 billion; Farm Improvements and Construction, up $1.70 billion; Tractors and Self Propelled Machinery, up $1.60 billion; Seeds and Plants, up $1.50 billion; Farm Services and Other Farm Machinery, both up $1.40 billion; and Agricultural Chemicals, up $1.10 billion.

The four largest expenditures at the United States level totaled $147.1 billion and accounted for 46.2 percent of Total Expenditures in 2011. They were Feed, 17.1 percent, Farm Services, 11.6 percent, Livestock, Poultry and Related Expenses, 9.0 percent and Labor, 8.4 percent.