SACRAMENTO - (INT) – The ongoing drought wasn’t the only factor that diminished California’s output of food and agriculture commodities last year.

Farm production declined eight percent or $9.5 billion. Still, California remains the leading agricultural state in the nation.

The USDA’s Economic Research Service says 540,000 acres were taken out of production in 2015. Also contributing to the decline were changes in currency exchange rates, global supply and demand, a burgeoning milk supply and a slowdown in export demand.

California’s top-ten commodities in 2015:
§ Milk — $6.29 billion
§ Almonds — $5.33 billion
§ Grapes — $4.95 billion
§ Cattle, Calves — $3.39 billion
§ Lettuce – 2.25 billion
§ Strawberries — $1.86 billion
§ Tomatoes — $1.71 billion
§ Poultry/Eggs – $1.7 billion
§ Walnuts – $977 million
§ Hay — $ 945 million

California’s agricultural abundance includes more than 400 commodities. Over a third of the country’s vegetables and two-thirds of the country’s fruits and nuts are grown in California.

Story Date: September 9, 2016