2020 Farm Report: Wine Grapes Still Top Crop In Sacramento County

Press release from the Sacramento County Government:

November 9, 2021

The value of Sacramento County crops dipped slightly last year, but agriculture continues to be an important player in the local economy. In 2020, the total cash value of all agricultural commodities was almost $455 million, according to the 2020 Sacramento County Crop and Livestock Report.

Wine grapes once again took the lead as the highest-valued commodity, with a value of close to $156 million. More than 34 reported varieties are grown on 36,000 acres in Sacramento County. Milk and other dairy products remained the County’s second-highest valued commodity at $64 million, an increase in value of 25 percent over 2019. About 16,000 dairy cows live on 16 family-owned dairies in Sacramento County. The County is even home to a water buffalo dairy that provides milk products to a creamery in the Bay Area.

Every year, the value of specific commodities rises or falls based on weather, supply and demand, and market forces. Notable increases in 2020 included cherries, whose cash value is up 82 percent over 2019 due to favorable spring weather conditions. Oat hay is up 69 percent over last year, and almonds increased 61 percent in value over the previous year’s crop.

The 2020 value of agricultural commodities decreased 1.2 percent in comparison to 2019. This represents gross returns and not actual net profits or losses, according to Sacramento County Agricultural Commissioner Chris Flores.

“Last year was fraught with challenges and yet the gross production value of agriculture in Sacramento County remained relatively stable,” she said. “This is a testament to the resiliency and importance of this industry. “We would like to honor and recognize our essential growers, ranchers, farmworkers and all others supportive of agriculture, who continued to produce and provide agricultural commodities locally and to people around the world.”

Top 10 Agricultural Commodities in 2020:

1. Wine grapes
2. Milk
3. Poultry
4. Nursery stock (ornamental trees and plants, Christmas trees and sod)
5. Pears
6. Hay (alfalfa)
7. Aquaculture (bass, carp, catfish, crayfish, sturgeon and caviar)
8. Rice
9. Cattle and calves
10. Silage (corn grown to feed livestock)

The 2020 report includes a list of local Certified Farmer’s Markets and a 2022 calendar with full-color illustrations. Flores presented the report to the County Board of Supervisors on Nov. 2.

This press release was produced by the Sacramento County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.