Yet, no one in Sacramento cares
By Leo Zacky
For many generations, California was looked upon as the Golden State, the land of dreams and opportunities. In the 1840s, gold seekers loaded up their wagons in the hopes of striking it rich. During the Great Depression, John Steinbeck wrote about the likes of Lennie and George and the Joad Family of their journeys heading west to California’s rich farmlands to find work.
California’s diverse agricultural output is immense with a wide array of crops and livestock, but no single crop dominates global production. With more than $59 billion in agricultural sales in 2022, California remains the top producer of agricultural products in the United States and is fifth in the world.
With more than 400 commodity crops grown across the state, California’s agricultural contributions are significant to the nation’s output, accounting for 13% of the total value of U.S. agricultural production. Although the Golden State is home to only 4% of the nation’s farms, it produces a large proportion of the yield.