The 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture (.pdf) is now out, and it shows how important California agriculture is.
Fresno County ranked #1 in the U.S. Agricultural sales in Fresno County were greater than those in 23 states. After Fresno County, the remaining top-10 California counties for ag production are: Tulare, Monterey, Kern, Merced, Imperial, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Santa Barbara, and Kings.
“Once again, California has the top agricultural counties in the nation, which is a testament to the resilience and innovation of all those involved in food production,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross.
Census of Agriculture information, which is collected directly from producers, shows a continued decline in the total number of California farms. However, the data also shows an increase in the value of agriculture sales in California.
The 2022 Census of Agriculture data shows the following key trends for California.
The number of farms decreased to 63,134, a 10 percent decline from 2017. The average size of farms increased by 10 percent to 383 acres, covering 24.2 million acres of farmland, a 1 percent decrease.
The market value of agricultural products sold totaled $59.0 billion, up $13.8 billion from 2017.
Total farm production expenses totaled $49.3 billion, up $11.5 billion from 2017.
At 16,699 farms, California is the top state using renewable energy-producing systems in agriculture. Solar is the most common renewable energy-producing system on farms and ranches in the Golden State.
The average age of the California farmer is 59.9, up from 59.2 in 2017.
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Sabrina Halvorson
National Correspondent / AgNet Media, Inc.
Sabrina Halvorson is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker who specializes in agriculture. She primarily reports on legislative issues and hosts The AgNet News Hour and The AgNet Weekly podcast. Sabrina is a native of California’s agriculture-rich Central Valley.