Nursery Crops and Mushrooms Lead the Way in Santa Clara County Agriculture

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIF. — Nursery crops retained their No. 1 spot in Santa Clara County in 2023, according to the County’s latest Crop Report, with mushrooms clinging to the No. 2 spot despite a drop in crop value of almost 8% from 2022 due to the closure of one mushroom farm.

The 2023 report highlights the intersection of innovation and agriculture. Silicon Valley, known for its tech innovation, is also leading the way in agricultural innovation. Anaerobe Systems, a local business creating sustainable fertilizer from agricultural waste, is one such company highlighted in the report.

Overall, the value of Santa Clara County’s agricultural products rose 3.5%, bringing their total value to $371.5 million. Nursery crops remained the county’s most valuable crop, increasing their value by 11% to nearly $128 million.

With the return to pre-pandemic restaurant dining creating a big demand for lettuce, it was a good year for leafy greens. While lettuce remained unchanged as the county’s No. 3 crop, its value increased by a whopping 68% to more than $34.5 million.

Weather can play a big part in a crop’s successful yield, as was the case with the 2023 cherry harvest. Hindered by heavy springtime rain, cherries dropped in value by 41.5% to $4.35 million.

Supervisor Sylvia Arenas, representing Supervisorial District 1, said she is proud of the dedicated individuals who work on the county’s farmland.  

“Santa Clara County is a leader in innovation, technology and agriculture – driven by residents, farmers and farmworkers who call this county home,” Arenas said. “Their dedication not only advances our technological achievements but also strengthens the agricultural industry and enhances our county’s food system.” 

“Our agricultural reach is global,” she added. “It is Santa Clara County’s residents and farmworkers who are feeding not just local families, but families throughout the world.” 

“When the public thinks of innovation in Silicon Valley, tech companies come to mind,” said Drew Raymond, interim agricultural commissioner for the County of Santa Clara. “In this report, we highlight the juncture of ingenuity and agriculture. These new ideas will allow the county’s agricultural industry to become more sustainable and resilient as we continue to face climate changes and concerns.”

Four stories in the crop report show how Santa Clara County continues to lead California and the nation in sustainable farming practices:

• Agrihood, in the city of Santa Clara, mixes urban farming and affordable housing.
• The Morgan Hill Unified School District is committed to sustainable agriculture and food production by using the latest in agricultural innovation: freight farms.
• The County’s cutting-edge Agricultural Resilience Initiative grant program supports climate-smart agriculture.
• Anaerobe Systems is equipped to run its local power plants and fermenters with the hydrogen byproduct from its fermentation process that is captured and converted into bioenergy.

To read these stories and the full County of Santa Clara 2023 Crop Report, visit the Division of Agriculture website.

ABOUT THE COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA 

The County of Santa Clara government serves a diverse, multicultural population of 1.9 million residents in Santa Clara County, Calif., making it more populous than 14 states in the United States. The County provides essential services to its residents, including public health protection, environmental stewardship, medical services through the County of Santa Clara Health System, child and adult protection services, homelessness prevention and solutions, roads, park services, libraries, emergency response to disasters, protection of minority communities and those under threat, access to a fair criminal justice system, and many other public benefits.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Bronwyn Hogan, Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency,
[email protected]