>>Compared to the midwestern states of Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, etc., California agriculture is a joke.<<
I don't think that California is quite a joke when it comes to agriculture. Note that even on conventional production, i.e. corn, wheat, cotton, potatoes, rice, cattle and hogs
infoplease.com
California ranks 6th highest in total production with Iowa 16th, Illinois 7th, Kansas 3rd, Wisconsin 8th, Indiana 17th, Ohio 13th. Texas ranks number 1.
However, once you add additional categories California even higher.
"California farmers and ranchers produced more than half of the nation’s fruits, nuts and vegetables, and generated $27.2 billion in gross cash receipts in 2000. A major employer and revenue generator in the state, agriculture accounts for 1.1 million jobs and more than $60 billion in personal income. California is the nation’s leader in agricultural exports, shipping more than $6.5 billion in food and agricultural products around the world."
universityofcalifornia.edu
" Economy > Top U.S. Agricultural Counties
Eight of the top 10 agricultural counties are in California.
County Farm Receipts, 2000
Fresno
Tulare
Monterey
Kern
Merced
San Joaquin
San Diego
Stanislaus $3.4 billion
$3.1 billion
$2.9 billion
$2.2 billion
$1.5 billion
$1.3 billion
$1.3 billion
$1.2 billion
[Tulare passed Fresno in 2001.]
(Weld County in Colorado and Yakima, Washington, were the two non-California locales in the top ten." |
