Ventura County growers produce crops on fewer, smaller farms now than in times past. As mentioned in a previous post, our county ranks 9th statewide and 10th nationwide by agricultural product sales. When greenhouse and nursery products are included, we rank 4th both state and nationwide.
While agriculture is no longer the number one industry in our county, it still has a positive impact on our economy. In addition to generating direct revenue and employment on farms, local agriculture benefits the economy in many indirect ways including:
- Packinghouses
- Equipment dealers
- Chemical applicators and pest-control firms
- Labor contractors
- Fertilizer and other supply dealers
- Trucking firms
- Fuel distributors
- Repair services
- Manufacturing facilities
- Marketing services
- Agritourism
According to the Farm Bureau of Ventura County, “Altogether, farming and farm-dependent businesses provide an estimated 31,000 jobs in Ventura County, more than any other sector of the economy except services. Agriculture and agriculture-related businesses account for about 4.4 percent of overall economic activity in Ventura County, generating $2.1 billion in revenue and $76 million in indirect business taxes annually. One in 10 county residents relies to some degree on income derived from farming”.
