Most Valuable Crops Grown in California

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Most valuable crops grown in California

There are more than 2 million farms in the United States, about 98% of which are operated by families, individuals, family partnerships, or family corporations, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. About 86% of all agricultural products in America are produced on family ranches or farms. A single farm feeds an average of 166 people per year, both in the U.S. and abroad. Even so, farming is a mere sliver of the U.S. economy, representing just 1% of America’s GDP—farm and ranch families make up less than 2% of America’s population.

More African Americans are operating farms now than ever before, likewise for Hispanic and Latino farm operators. One in four farmers are beginning farmers, a term that represents those with fewer than 10 years in agriculture work—their average age is 46. About 11% of U.S. farmers served or are serving in the military.

The U.S. is projected to export a record $191.0 billion agricultural products in 2022. Stacker compiled a list of the most valuable crops grown in California using data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture state agriculture overview. Crops are ranked by total annual value of production as of July 16, 2022.

Keep reading to see which crops grown in California are the most valuable.

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#53. Oats

- Annual production: $1.2 million
- Top states:
--- #1. North Dakota ($17.3 million)
--- #2. Minnesota ($17.1 million)
--- #3. South Dakota ($17.1 million)
--- #4. Iowa ($15.8 million)
--- #5. Wisconsin ($13.4 million)

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Sanjay Acharya // Wikimedia Commons

#52. Chickpeas

- Annual production: $3.0 million
- Top states:
--- #1. Montana ($43.0 million)
--- #2. Washington ($24.9 million)
--- #3. Idaho ($24.8 million)
--- #4. North Dakota ($8.5 million)
--- #5. California ($3.0 million)

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Nitr // Shutterstock

#51. Barley

- Annual production: $3.9 million
- Top states:
--- #1. Idaho ($229.0 million)
--- #2. Montana ($122.3 million)
--- #3. North Dakota ($115.1 million)
--- #4. Wyoming ($32.5 million)
--- #5. Colorado ($25.3 million)

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EsfilPla // Shutterstock

#50. Sunflower

- Annual production: $16.0 million
- Top states:
--- #1. South Dakota ($261.6 million)
--- #2. North Dakota ($241.1 million)
--- #3. Minnesota ($28.8 million)
--- #4. California ($16.0 million)
--- #5. Kansas ($13.2 million)

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#49. Asparagus

- Annual production: $21.3 million
- Top states:
--- #1. Michigan ($23.0 million)
--- #2. California ($21.3 million)
--- #3. Washington ($14.6 million)
--- #4. New Jersey ($10.8 million)

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Vladimir Konstantinov // Shutterstock

#48. Safflower

- Annual production: $21.7 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($21.7 million)
--- #2. Montana ($4.4 million)
--- #3. Idaho ($3.4 million)
--- #4. South Dakota ($3.3 million)
--- #5. Utah ($1.6 million)

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Fotokostic // Shutterstock

#47. Cucumbers

- Annual production: $24.0 million
- Top states:
--- #1. Florida ($94.9 million)
--- #2. Michigan ($52.5 million)
--- #3. Georgia ($34.8 million)
--- #4. North Carolina ($29.6 million)
--- #5. California ($24.0 million)

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Smileus // Shutterstock

#46. Pumpkins

- Annual production: $26.6 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($26.6 million)
--- #2. Indiana ($26.5 million)
--- #3. Texas ($26.5 million)
--- #4. Illinois ($23.0 million)
--- #5. Pennsylvania ($22.2 million)

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#45. Apricots

- Annual production: $34.4 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($34.4 million)
--- #2. Washington ($3.1 million)

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SunflowerMomma // Shutterstock

#44. Beans

- Annual production: $42.7 million
- Top states:
--- #1. Florida ($64.2 million)
--- #2. Wisconsin ($52.3 million)
--- #3. California ($42.7 million)
--- #4. New York ($27.6 million)
--- #5. Michigan ($24.2 million)

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alicja neumiler // Shutterstock

#43. Squash

- Annual production: $44.7 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($44.7 million)
--- #2. Michigan ($40.2 million)
--- #3. Florida ($35.3 million)
--- #4. New York ($30.5 million)
--- #5. Georgia ($23.2 million)

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Lewis Tse Pui Lung // Shutterstock

#42. Apples

- Annual production: $51.0 million
- Top states:
--- #1. Washington ($2.2 billion)
--- #2. New York ($344.7 million)
--- #3. Michigan ($213.3 million)
--- #4. Pennsylvania ($129.6 million)
--- #5. Oregon ($66.5 million)

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#41. Artichokes

- Annual production: $57.5 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($57.5 million)

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Claudia Harms-Warlies // Shutterstock

#40. Corn

- Annual production: $57.8 million
- Top states:
--- #1. Iowa ($13.9 billion)
--- #2. Illinois ($11.8 billion)
--- #3. Nebraska ($10.0 billion)
--- #4. Minnesota ($7.5 billion)
--- #5. Indiana ($5.6 billion)

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#39. Cotton

- Annual production: $65.5 million
- Top states:
--- #1. Texas ($3.2 billion)
--- #2. Georgia ($937.4 million)
--- #3. Arkansas ($442.8 million)
--- #4. Mississippi ($344.9 million)
--- #5. North Carolina ($339.3 million)

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Canva

#38. Wheat

- Annual production: $67.6 million
- Top states:
--- #1. Kansas ($2.4 billion)
--- #2. North Dakota ($1.8 billion)
--- #3. Montana ($832.3 million)
--- #4. Washington ($739.6 million)
--- #5. Oklahoma ($736.3 million)

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#37. Pears

- Annual production: $81.7 million
- Top states:
--- #1. Washington ($158.0 million)
--- #2. Oregon ($133.8 million)
--- #3. California ($81.7 million)

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#36. Olives

- Annual production: $85.0 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($85.0 million)

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#35. Plums

- Annual production: $91.7 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($91.7 million)

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#34. Kiwifruit

- Annual production: $96.5 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($96.5 million)

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#33. Grapefruit

- Annual production: $101.8 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($101.8 million)
--- #2. Florida ($72.4 million)
--- #3. Texas ($45.8 million)

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#32. Nectarines

- Annual production: $134.8 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($134.8 million)

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#31. Dates

- Annual production: $135.6 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($135.6 million)
--- #2. Arizona ($93.0 million)

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#30. Prunes

- Annual production: $142.2 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($142.2 million)

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#29. Sweet corn

- Annual production: $148.1 million
- Top states:
--- #1. Florida ($208.2 million)
--- #2. California ($148.1 million)
--- #3. Georgia ($125.2 million)
--- #4. Washington ($99.8 million)
--- #5. Minnesota ($66.8 million)

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#28. Cabbage

- Annual production: $155.2 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($155.2 million)
--- #2. New York ($76.3 million)
--- #3. Arizona ($56.1 million)
--- #4. Florida ($45.3 million)
--- #5. Texas ($44.2 million)

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#27. Melons

- Annual production: $162.9 million
- Top states:
--- #1. Florida ($192.4 million)
--- #2. California ($162.9 million)
--- #3. Georgia ($103.7 million)
--- #4. Arizona ($91.9 million)
--- #5. Texas ($54.3 million)

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rblfmr // Shutterstock

#26. Peppers

- Annual production: $184.7 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($184.7 million)
--- #2. Florida ($152.7 million)
--- #3. New Jersey ($48.7 million)
--- #4. New Mexico ($44.9 million)
--- #5. Georgia ($39.3 million)

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#25. Sweet potatoes

- Annual production: $184.9 million
- Top states:
--- #1. North Carolina ($391.9 million)
--- #2. California ($184.9 million)
--- #3. Mississippi ($103.5 million)

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#24. Blueberries

- Annual production: $223.5 million
- Top states:
--- #1. Washington ($228.4 million)
--- #2. California ($223.5 million)
--- #3. Oregon ($171.7 million)
--- #4. Georgia ($103.7 million)
--- #5. Michigan ($82.5 million)

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#23. Potatoes

- Annual production: $232.3 million
- Top states:
--- #1. Idaho ($1.0 billion)
--- #2. Washington ($793.1 million)
--- #3. Wisconsin ($378.5 million)
--- #4. North Dakota ($247.9 million)
--- #5. California ($232.3 million)

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alicja neumiler

#22. Garlic

- Annual production: $244.2 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($244.2 million)

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#21. Cauliflower

- Annual production: $265.9 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($265.9 million)
--- #2. Arizona ($76.9 million)

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branislavpudar // Shutterstock

#20. Cherries

- Annual production: $322.3 million
- Top states:
--- #1. Washington ($476.4 million)
--- #2. California ($322.3 million)
--- #3. Oregon ($67.1 million)
--- #4. Michigan ($58.0 million)
--- #5. Utah ($8.5 million)

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#19. Avocados

- Annual production: $327.4 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($327.4 million)
--- #2. Florida ($13.3 million)
--- #3. Hawaii ($1.2 million)

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FS Stock // Shutterstock

#18. Spinach

- Annual production: $358.8 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($358.8 million)
--- #2. Arizona ($113.6 million)
--- #3. New Jersey ($14.2 million)
--- #4. Texas ($9.6 million)

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#17. Celery

- Annual production: $374.6 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($374.6 million)

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#16. Peaches

- Annual production: $378.4 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($378.4 million)
--- #2. South Carolina ($106.2 million)
--- #3. New Jersey ($35.7 million)
--- #4. Georgia ($35.6 million)
--- #5. Pennsylvania ($26.4 million)

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oceanfishing // Shutterstock

#15. Raspberries

- Annual production: $421.4 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($421.4 million)
--- #2. Washington ($109.9 million)

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Deyan Georgiev // Shutterstock

#14. Broccoli

- Annual production: $631.5 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($631.5 million)
--- #2. Arizona ($87.5 million)

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Marco Ossino // Shutterstock

#13. Lemons

- Annual production: $638.2 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($638.2 million)
--- #2. Arizona ($22.6 million)

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Milosz Maslanka // Shutterstock

#12. Carrots

- Annual production: $653.7 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($653.7 million)
--- #2. Washington ($169.7 million)
--- #3. Wisconsin ($8.1 million)

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#11. Lettuce

- Annual production: $768.5 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($768.5 million)
--- #2. Arizona ($291.0 million)

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#10. Tangerines

- Annual production: $815.1 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($815.1 million)
--- #2. Florida ($21.7 million)

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SchnepfDesign // Shutterstock

#9. Oranges

- Annual production: $901.3 million
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($901.3 million)
--- #2. Florida ($669.8 million)
--- #3. Texas ($21.7 million)

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#8. Rice

- Annual production: $905.3 million
- Top states:
--- #1. Arkansas ($1.3 billion)
--- #2. California ($905.3 million)
--- #3. Louisiana ($401.1 million)
--- #4. Missouri ($212.1 million)
--- #5. Texas ($182.6 million)

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#7. Walnuts

- Annual production: $1.0 billion
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($1.0 billion)

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#6. Tomatoes

- Annual production: $1.2 billion
- Top states:
--- #1. California ($1.2 billion)
--- #2. Florida ($323.5 million)

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#5. Hay & haylage

- Annual production: $1.2 billion
- Top states:
--- #1. Texas ($1.7 billion)
--- #2. Wisconsin ($1.3 billion)
--- #3. California ($1.2 billion)
--- #4. Idaho ($1.1 billion)
--- #5. Colorado ($1.0 billion)