Strawberries kept their reign as Santa Barbara County’s top crop for the 2020 crop year, while cauliflower jumped for the first time to the number two crop in a year that the overall production value of agriculture climbed by more than $200 million.
Agriculture continues to be the county’s major producing industry, and 2020 yielded the highest gross production value since 2016, according to the county Agricultural Commissioner’s Office annual crop report.
The county grossed more than $1.8 billion in agricultural sales over 2020.
“Santa Barbara County’s agricultural strength is due to our crop diversity and our position in the global marketplace,” said Agricultural Commissioner Cathleen Fisher.
“This report is our yearly opportunity to recognize the growers, shippers, ranchers, and other businesses ancillary to and supportive of agriculture, which is the largest driver of Santa Barbara County’s economy. Our farmers and ranchers continue to produce an astonishing array of products and achieve the highest standards in quality and environmental stewardship.”
As the leading crop, strawberries brought in more than $727 million of revenue, which is an increase of over $150 million when compared with 2019.
Cauliflower contributed $109.3 million to the yearly revenue, followed closely by broccoli at $104.7 million and nursery products at $98.6 million.
Wine grapes were the fifth-biggest contributor to agricultural sales in 2020 at $93.8 million, dropping from the number two spot in 2019.
Wine grape sales dropped by more than $12 million between the two years. The top wine crops are pinot noir, chardonnay, syrah, sauvignon blanc, grenache, and pinot gris.
Blackberries were not one of the county’s 10 biggest contributors in 2019, but made it to the number 10 spot in 2020 by contributing $46.6 million to the yearly revenue. The revenue generated from blackberry sales in 2020 nearly doubled from 2019.
Cut flowers and foliage were the ninth-biggest contributor to agricultural revenue in 2019, but did not make 2020’s top ten list as sales dropped by nearly $25 million.
Fruits and nuts contributed more than $686 million, or 50%, of the county’s total agricultural revenue. Avocado sales climbed by nearly $45 million to over $80 million in 2020, while lemon sales dropped nearly $6.5 million to $9.3 million, according to the report.
Vegetables accounted for 35% of the yearly revenue at over $650 million, which is an increase of about $50 million from the previous year. Both cauliflower and broccoli sales increased in 2020, while spinach and cabbage sales dropped.
Flower and nursery plants brought in $125.7 million, or 7% of the total revenue, which includes roughly $27 million from cut flowers and foliage, and $98.6 million from potted plants. Nursery product sales increased by roughly $28 million in 2020.
Wine grapes accounted for 5% of the yearly revenue, animal products contributed 2%, and field, seed, and apiary brought in 1% of the revenue.
While not included in the county’s crop report gross production value, commercial cannabis production in the county had an estimated production value of $194 million in 2020.
The county produced more than 2.1 million pounds of cannabis flower, a $178 million value, more than 178,600 pounds of cannabis trim, a $15 million value, and over 1 million cannabis nursery plants, a $1.5 million value.
The county exported locally grown produce to 39 countries in 2020, and issued 6,606 phytosanitary certificates, which are documents that facilitate shipment of agricultural commodities across borders, according to the report.
The majority of crops were exported to Canada, which took in 27,536 tons of cucumbers, strawberries, pepper, and cauliflower.
According to the production report, consumer demand for organic products has increased over the past decade, resulting in an increase in the number of organic producers in Santa Barbara County.
However, the number of organic farms registered in Santa Barbara County dropped from 174 in 2019 to 148 in 2020. The top five organic products were strawberries, carrots, lettuce, broccoli, and celery.
There are 10 certified farmers’ markets in Santa Barbara County, with over 100 current certified producers, according to the report. Over the COVID-19 pandemic, community-supported agriculture boxes allowed community members to receive fresh fruits, vegetables, and other local products.
The boxes were available for pick-up or door delivery, and made fresh food easily accessible to consumers while allowing farmers to sell produce that restaurants had previously purchased, the report said.
“(Community supported agriculture boxes) are a direct way that Santa Barbara County residents and Santa Barbara County food producers supported each other through the pandemic,” the report said. “Santa Barbara County agriculture has an inspiring story of innovation and resiliency.
“It has allowed them to adapt in the face of adversity while continuing to produce safe, environmentally sustainable, and nutritious food for our neighbors.”
— Noozhawk staff writer Jade Martinez-Pogue can be reached at jmartinez-pogue@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.