Annual crop values top $1 billion for second year in a row

Strawberries were to top crop in 2022 in San Luis Obispo County, where the value of all commodities topped more than $1 billion for a secon year. 

The County of San Luis Obispo Department of Agriculture/Weights and Measures announces the release of the 2022 production statistics for the local agricultural industry. 

For the second consecutive year, crop values for San Luis Obispo County set a record high as the total value for 2022 reached $1,084,332,000, a slight increase of less than one percent over the previous year.

For the second consecutive year, crop values for San Luis Obispo County set a record high as the total value for 2022 reached $1,084,332,000, a slight increase of less than one percent over the previous year. 

Although the impacts from the ongoing drought led to reduced yields in a wide variety of crops, strong crop prices helped offset reductions in total production, and the overall farmgate value of the county’s agricultural industry exceeded $1 billion for the third time in history.

County annual agriculture value surpasses $1 billion for the second time

For the second time, agriculture production in San Luis Obispo County has exceeded $1 billion in value. 

According to the San Luis Obispo County Agriculture Commissioner's Crop Report, crops and products reached a high of $1,081,952 for 2021. This is about a 10 percent increase from 2020. 

Here's how the various products did:

Animal Industry

Ongoing drought conditions continue to impact the animal industry. Cattle were sold at lower weights due to the lack of natural forage and the high cost of supplemental feed. Although prices were higher, the overall value of the Animal Industry decreased by 7.3% ending the year at $43.1 million. 45,253 head of cattle were sold in 2021, which is a 3.6% decrease from 2020.

Field Crops

The value of field crops decreased by 26% due to extremely dry conditions. Field crops are primarily dry farmed and dependent on annual rainfall rather than irrigation. With very little rainfall during the year, hundreds of acres of field crops were left unharvested. The value of field crops at year’s end was $14,889,000 or $5.3 million lower than 2020.