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    Why is Farming Important to San Diego County?

    1842858
    $1.8 Billion Annual Value of Commodities (CDFA Agricultural Stats Review, 2021-2022)

    LOCALLY GROWN AND SOLD.

    Locally produced products available to the public

    AGRICULTURE PRESERVATION.

    Viable farms balance out urban growth

    CARBON FOOTPRINT.

    Carbon sequestration from millions of plants and trees

    5th Largest Industry

    5th Largest Industry

    in San Diego County

    San Diego Farms:

    San Diego Farms:

    96% of farms are family farms (USDA Agriculture Census, 2017).

    An intrinsic part of the fabric of

    SAN DIEGO.

    SD Farming National Ranking

    Where San Diego County

    Ranks In The Nation.

    #1 producer of nursery crops in California 

    #1 in number of part-time farmers.

    #2 largest nursery county in the U.S. 

    #2 in farms with women as principal operator.

    #5 in horticulture

    #9 in strawberries.
    #10 in egg-laying hens.

    Ranked as the 13th county in California for value of production.

    More small farms (less than 10 acres) than any other county

    San Diego’s Mediterranean-like climate makes it an ideal place to grow agricultural crops and livestock products. More than 3 million people live in San Diego County, and more than 5,000 farmers call it home and make their living on 250,000 acres. The high cost of water and land make farming here expensive and San Diego farms have specialized in integrating agricultural activity and urban living, growing crops that optimize limited acres. San Diego far surpasses its fellow top producing counties in terms of average dollar value per acre with an agricultural production more valuable than other urbanized areas of California, such as San Francisco, Orange County, and Los Angeles combined.

    Top Crops