Tulare County's ag industry grew, but not as fast as Fresno's exploding almond crop
A lush bounty of pomegranates, citrus, pistachios, grapes and dairy — all of the commodities grown and sold in our own backyard — brightened up the Tulare County supervisors' boardroom on Tuesday.
Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer Tom Tucker said the display was a living testament to the county's $7.2 billion ag industry during his reveal of the 2018 Tulare County Crop and Livestock Report.
"(This report) represents our growers, our ranchers and all of those in agriculture who produce our crops and all the different commodities we're going to celebrate today... and what it brings to this county in value," he said.
Fresno leapfrogged Tulare and Kern counties for the top spot this year, raking in $7.8 billion in gross value, a 12.8% increase over 2017. Officials attribute Fresno's ag supremacy to the rise of almonds as a premium cash crop.
"That's where I believe it's going to stay," Tucker said.
Tulare County dropped to California's third-largest ag producer by value as a result, though the industry grew by 2.5% — $173 million — overall.
In 2017, Tulare County's ag economy exploded by 10.5%, or $670 million. Tulare last took the top spot in 2015.
"Even though from a relative ranking-wise we may have slipped on a countywide basis, I think it's important to note that we still grew overall — that's good news for our industry," Chairman Kuyler Crocker said.
In Tulare County, dairy remains king.
The dairy industry produced 10 billion pounds of milk in 2018, a 1% increase over 2017, despite milk-value dropping 5% — $93 million.
Grapes also saw their value plummet $70 million in 2018, but retained their status as the county's second-most-valuable crop valued at $834 million.
2018's top crops mirrored the previous year:
- Milk & Milk Products $1,683,747,000
- Grapes $834,378,000
- Oranges – Navel & Valencia $821,177,000
- Cattle & Calves $616,455,000
- Tangerines – Fresh $511,890,000
The report suggests, however, that Tulare County growers looking to make the most of dwindling irrigation supplies may turn to pistachios, almonds and other cash crops. Tree nuts saw the biggest growth in 2018, collectively adding more than 10,000 harvested acres.
"I hope that as the Groundwater Sustainability Plans are implemented within Tulare County, we find better ways to become more efficient with the water we are allocated to maintain this strong agricultural position," District 2 Supervisor Pete Vander Poel said.
"Without additional storage or import of surface water, it is going to be quite the challenge," Tucker replied. "But I think we're up to that task."
Oranges are also likely to see a decline, as the full damage of ongoing trade disputes with China and other foreign markets won't be fully measured until the 2020 report.
"With the trade issues ongoing, I think it's important to keep in mind that despite the farmers out there doing great work, there are challenges outside of their control," Crocker said.
Despite those challenges, industry leaders lauded the county's performance. Tulare, Kern and Fresno counties remain the only in the country to exceed $7 billion in value.
"We are honored to be one of the top-ranking counties in America," said Tricia Stever-Blattler, Tulare County Farm Bureau chief. "It’s truly staggering to look at the gross farm gate values reported year after year, and recognize that the hard-working people of this county are behind those numbers."
Tucker pointed out that the ag economy "trickles down to the lives of many in this county," a point that Stever-Blattler drove home.
"The multiplier that agriculture has in our economy means that every dollar generated multiplies several more dollars for our local economy, this alone should give every Tulare county resident a sense of pride and achievement,” she said.
And for those curious: Manure remains a million-dollar crop in Tulare County — $8 million, in fact.
"I think that's important to point out, it's great fertilizer," Vander Poel said.
Joshua Yeager covers water, agriculture, parks and housing for the Visalia Times-Delta and Tulare Advance-Register newspapers. Follow him on Twitter @VTD_Joshy. Get alerts and keep up on all things Tulare County for as little as $1 a month. Subscribe today.