California Agriculture Mrs Cox California is broken down

California Agriculture Mrs. Cox

California is broken down into eight large agricultural regions. Conditions within each region are very similar, so we can associate certain crops with certain areas of the state. These areas are called Production Regions

California is the most agriculturally productive state in the nation. • If CA were a country on its own, it would be the 6 th largest ag. producer on the PLANET! • CA farmers and ranchers produce over 250 different commodities and livestock products.

Sacramento Valley • • • Rice Sugar Beets Almonds Livestock Tomatos

San Joaquin Valley • • • Cotton lint Oranges Cattle Table and Wine Grapes Almonds Stone Fruits Alfalfa Hay Poultry Milk and Cream

Delta Region • • • Milk Vegetables Asparagus Corn Grapes

Central Coast • • Lettuce Celery Broccoli Beef Cattle Lemons Strawberries Artichokes Grapes

South Coast • • Strawberries Tomatoes Eggs Nursery Products Oranges Avocados Milk and Cream

North Coast • • • Wine grapes Nursery Milk Timber Livestock

Imperial Desert • • • Dates Melons Alfalfa Lettuce Sugar Beets Wheat Chickens Cattle Cotton

Mountain Region • • Livestock Hay Christmas Trees Potatoes Timber Pasture Grapes

An Agriculture Commodity is a plant or animal product that is useful and can be traded for economic benefit.

Pair share: What do you think are the five leading commodities in California?

California’s top five agricultural commodities Milk and Cream $7. 3 billion Grapes (all) $4. 0 billion Nursery Products $3. 2 billion Cattle and Calves, All $2. 8 billion Almonds $2. 6 billion

California is the most agriculturally productive state in the nation. • If CA were a country on its own, it would be the 5 th largest ag. producer on the PLANET! • CA farmers and ranchers produce over 250 different commodities and livestock products. • Leading States in Ag. California, Texas, Iowa

The 10 Leading Commodities of Imperial County: 1. Cattle 350, 057 2. Alfalfa Hay 116, 759 3. Carrots 82, 583 4. Leaf Lettuce 79, 642 5. Head Lettuce 67, 074 6. Cantaloupe 48, 595 7. Livestock, Misc. 45, 255 8. Bermuda Grass Hay 43, 422 9. Sugar Beets 43, 038 10. Sudan Grass Hay 41, 731

California’s Top Ten Agricultural Counties 1. Fresno 5. 3 Billion 6. Stanislaus 2. Tulare 2. 4 4. 8 Billion 3. Kern 4. 0 Billion 4. Monterey 3. 8 Billion 5. Merced 3. 0 Billion 7. San Joaquin 2. 0 Billion 8. Kings 1. 7 Billion 9. Ventura 1. 5 Billion 10. San Diego 1. 3 Billion

California grows over 99% of the use production of: • Almonds • Artichokes • Clingstone Peaches • Dates • Figs • Kiwifruit • Nectarines • Olives • Persimmons • Pistachios • Prunes • Raisons • Walnuts

California in relation to the us as a whole • Produces 9 % of all agriculture income on 3 % of the Nation’s farms. • California produces about 250 crop and livestock commodities • California produces 25% of the nation’s food. • California produces more than 50% of US produce. • California leads the nation in producing over 45 crops

The leading commodities exported (sent out) by California and their customer countries are: European Union (Almonds, wine, walnuts) Canada (Lettuce, strawberries, table grapes) Japan (rice, almonds, hay) Mexico (Dairy, cotton, table grapes) China/Hong Kong (Cotton, oranges, table grapes) Korea ( Oranges, cotton, almonds) Taiwan (cotton, rice, peaches, nectarines) India (Almonds, cotton, table grapes) Malaysia (Table grapes, oranges, raisins) Indonesia (Cotton, table grapes, dairy)

Many countries depend on the U. S. Ag. production for their food. Although U. S population growth has slowed considerably, world population has not. This means an ever increasing demand for U. S. Agriculture commodities. The leading commodities exported by the U. S. are: 1. Corn 2. Wheat 3. Soybeans 4. Cotton 5. Tobacco 6. Fruits and fruit products 7. Hides 8. Meats 9. Vegetables and preparations 10. Sorghum

Others are: The major product imported by the U. S. is coffee*. The most important fact concerning exports and imports is that the U. S. exports much more than it imports as far as agriculture commodities are concerned. • 2. Vegetables and preparations • 3. Beef • 4. Fruit juices 5. Wines • 6. Sugar • 7. Dairy products • 8. Bananas * • 9. Waxes and oils • 10. Natural rubber* (* not produced in US)

The Sociological status of Agriculture 1. Because of the declining number of farms, ag is considered by the general public to be less important today than in the past. 2. Due to declining number of farms, many politicians today consider agriculture less important than the past. • Approximately 93% of U. S. population lives in urban areas. 3. Fluctuations in production and supply of ag commodities are • With only 7 % of the due to the following factors: vote, US. Agriculture • Technological hasn’t much political advancements power. • Weather • Harder to get passage of • Plant and animal diseases legislation that is • Insect damage favorable to agriculture.

• We are able to produce such mass quantities of produce because of years of hard work, increases in technology and other advances. • Agriculture 250 years ago: – 95% of the US population was farming – Most work done by hand • Each farmer produced enough to feed himself & 3 other people. Since then there has been inventions like the cotton gin (1793), John Deere plows (1873), Railroads (1869), and so on. • Agriculture today: – Less than 1. 5% of the US population is farming – Each farmer can feed themselves and 150 other people

Problems • What kinds of problems do farmers face today? – Increase in populations: • The current US population is 296, 410, 404 people • The current world population is 6, 605, 611, 936 people – – – More people, more food Urban sprawl Organic foods Health conscious people Biological advances: “GMO’S” Others? • What must farmers do to survive? – Learn to adapt

Urban attitudes about agriculture are based on impressions received from television, newspaper, and radio reports of agriculture events. In general, agriculture does not have a positive image among residents of the larger cities. The primary source of agricultures poor image among city dwellers is the lack of knowledge and understanding of the farmers problems.

In Conclusion: • One California farmer supplies enough food, fiber and flowers for 135 people. • California farms and ranches are characterized by high-yielding, high-value cash crops that use advanced levels of technology, capital and management.

California Ag Poster • Your assignment is to create a poster of the 8 California production regions. • You along with your partners will trace the outline of California • Then using the projection draw in the regions. • Using the chart you will then be responsible for representing each of the commodities grown in that region. • Creativity and neatness count.

Agricultural Regions 1. Sacramento Valley 2. San Joaquin Valley 3. Delta Region 4. Central Coast 5. South Coast 6. North Coast 7. Imperial/Desert 8. Mountain Region