California’s San Joaquin County Is an Agricultural Powerhouse
This article first appeared on Livability.com.
As San Joaquin County’s top industry, agriculture brings food to the table both locally and globally. High-quality commodities, from wine and cherries to milk and eggs, are prized here at home and abroad. With thousands of farms, hundreds of commodities and an ideal infrastructure for exports, San Joaquin County’s agriculture industry generates billions of dollars each year and supports tens of thousands of jobs in the region.
See more: Top California Agriculture Facts From the 2024 Census of Agriculture
By the Numbers
Across San Joaquin County, nearly 3,000 farms produce around 300 diverse commodities. A Mediterranean climate, along with well-draining, productive soil, helps local farms thrive. As a result, the county is a top producer of cherries, milk, almonds, walnuts and many more high-quality commodities.
“Our county is so unique,” says Kamal Bagri, agricultural commissioner and sealer of weights and measures for San Joaquin County.
According to the 2023 San Joaquin County Crop Report, the county saw around $3.2 billion of income from direct production of agricultural commodities alone. Yet factoring in the economic impact of the county’s 52 processing facilities, transportation and other agriculture-adjacent jobs, the real value of agricultural output is closer to $7.8 billion. As a result, San Joaquin County ranks seventh in the state in terms of agricultural production value.
Around the World
San Joaquin County is known globally for its produce. The county exports to 90 countries, with major markets for cherries in Japan and the Republic of Korea. Over 12,000 certificates for foreign exports were issued in 2023, with walnuts, almonds and rice leading alongside cherries.
When it comes to exports, the infrastructure around San Joaquin County is a major factor in its agricultural success. Proximity to the Port of Stockton, Port of Oakland and San Francisco International Airport, along with major highways, makes it easier for local commodities to be exported domestically and abroad. This ensures efficient market access.
“Having access to those local airports, roadways, railways and shipping yards is a very convenient way for people to be able to ship local produce, which can go to the rest of the world very easily,” Bagri says.
The area’s processing sheds allow commodities to be processed locally rather than shipping them out of the county and back again, saving time and money for producers. In addition, the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office ensures the safe export of goods by conducting routine inspections of commodities before they leave the country to help mitigate the spread of harmful pests.
“We are there to protect the environment and the citizens,” Bagri says.
See more: California’s Top 10 Agriculture Products
Support Local
For small and medium-sized farms, local markets can be the lifeblood of their business. Local food initiatives and farm-to-table movements have helped smaller, family-owned farms to find their place in a booming agriculture industry.
While Sonoma and Napa counties are known globally for their wine grapes, San Joaquin County actually leads the state in grape production and acreage. According to a study by the Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers, the economic impact in San Joaquin County alone was $2.4 billion in 2022.
“Over the last 30 years, the number of wineries and tasting rooms has grown tremendously,” says Amy Blagg, executive director of the Lodi District Grape Growers Association and owner of Blagg Family Farms. “More local wines are being produced than ever before.”
California Department of Food and Agriculture initiatives help support local, seasonal and organic buying; the Nutrition Incentive Program encourages the purchase of local produce with monetary incentives, while the Farm to School Program helps stock schools with food from local farms.
Agriculture also supports a robust job market in San Joaquin County, providing work for everyone from farmers and producers to grocery store workers, truckers, processors and beyond. The 2023 Crop Report estimates that agricultural jobs account for over 34,000 positions in San Joaquin County – that’s 10% of the workforce in the entire county.
“Agriculture is vital to our county,” Bagri says. “Farming is a way of life in San Joaquin, and I’m so proud to be representing the No. 1 industry in the county, which produces food not just for our county but for the world.”