These are the most profitable crops in Sacramento County, report finds

(FOX40.COM) — Dating back to 1941, Sacramento County releases its Crop and Livestock Report every year during the early part of November.

The report reveals the area’s top 10 most profitable agricultural commodities from the previous year and highlights Sacramento County’s agricultural terrain.
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Sacramento County Agricultural Commissioner Chris Flores said, “Agriculture continues to be a significant contributor to the local economy and plays a crucial role in preserving the region’s rural character.”

She continued, “The County’s diverse agricultural landscape includes farms, ranches, orchards, and vineyards and produces crops such as rice, tomatoes, pears, grapes, as well as dairy and livestock commodities.”

On Nov. 7, 2023, the county released its report for 2022, which showed wine grapes, market milk, and pears as Sacramento County’s top-earning goods for the second year in a row.

Wine grapes brought in nearly $200 million ($188 million) to Sacramento County, the Crop and Livestock report states. According to the county, that number accounts for more than 30% of the total gross value of all crops, and more than 38,000 wine grapes were harvested during the year.

“Even with an 8% decrease from 2021, wine grapes were once again the leading cash crop in Sacramento County,” the county said.

Market milk, which encompasses milk, cream, or skim milk produced in compliance with market regulations, was in the number two spot with a total value of $91 million.

In the third spot were pears, which are predominantly produced by six states in the United States: California, Michigan, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington. For Sacramento County, pears brought in $56 million.

Here are the rest of Sacramento County’s top commodities and how much money they brought to the area.

• Poultry ($32.5 million)
• Aquaculture bass, carp, catfish, crayfish, sturgeon, caviar ($32.4 million)
• Corn silage forage crop used on dairy, beef cattle farms ($24.2 million)
• Nursery Stock ornamental trees, plants, Christmas trees, sod ($22.8 million)
• Hay/Alfalfa ($22.4 million)
• Cattle, calves ($16.7 million)
• Rice ($14.7 million)

Sacramento County’s agricultural commission says its office is currently gathering data for the 2023 Crop and Livestock Report, which is expected to be released in early November 2024.