Kim bendix petersen family farm

Sector of the Californian economy

Agriculture is a significant sector in California's economy, producing nearly US$50 billion in revenue in 2018^[update]. There are more than 400 commodity crops grown across California, including a significant portion of all fruits, vegetables, and nuts in the United States.^[1] In 2017^[update], there were 77,100 unique farms and ranches in the state, operating across 25.3 million acres (10,200,000 hectares) of land. The average farm size was 328 acres (133 ha), significantly less than the average farm size in the U.S. of 444 acres (180 ha).^[1]

Because of its scale, and the naturally arid climate, the agricultural sector uses about 40 percent of California's water consumption.^[2] The agricultural sector is also connected to other negative environmental and health impacts, including being one of the principal sources of water pollution.

Value

The table below shows the top 21 commodities, by dollar value, produced in California in 2017.^[1] Between 2016 and 2017, there were increases by more than 2% in total value for the following crops: almonds, dairy, grapes and cattle. The largest increase was seen in almond sa