Farmers in Fresno County grew a record $8.08 billion dollars worth of crops in 2021, according to the latest crop report released Tuesday.
Almonds remain the top crop in production alongside grapes, pistachios and poultry products.
“It’s pretty special that so much of the nation’s plate and the world’s plate when it comes to flavor and color is produced right here and this report helps to show some of that,” said Ryan Jacobsen, CEO of the Fresno County Farm Bureau.
In the report, Fresno County Agricultural Commissioner Melissa Cragen credits Fresno’s diversity of crops for the strong output. Farmers in the county grow over 170 different crops and export them to nearly 100 countries around the world.
The annual crop reports are unique to California, says Jacobsen, and lend insight into the number of acres harvested and their price per unit. However, they don’t paint the entire picture.
“I know a lot of folks look at this number as a reflection of the health of the ag industry but that’s not necessarily true because obviously there are other impacts and influences as far as what’s going on in the industry,” Jacobsen said.
Chief among many farmers’ concerns is water. California is entering its fourth consecutive year of drought. The U.S. Drought Monitorshows some of the worst conditions are in Fresno County and surrounding communities.
Water issues, coupled with farmers fallowing their land, leads Jacobsen to believe next year’s crop report will not exceed 2021 numbers.
