Santa Clara County agriculture grew 4.3 percent in 2007, with
nursery crops, mushrooms and bell peppers holding strong as the top
three crops in the county.
photo gallery.
Santa Clara County agriculture grew 4.3 percent in 2007, with nursery crops, mushrooms and bell peppers holding strong as the top three crops in the county.
The total gross value of the county’s agricultural production for 2007 was $254,926,200, up 4.3 percent from $244,460,880 in 2006.
The previous year, county crop values dipped 3 percent from $252,281,650 in 2005 to $244,460,8800 in 2006.
“Once again, nursery crops remained the county’s number one agricultural crop in 2007 with a value of $87,891,700,” said Greg Van Wassenhove, county agricultural commissioner. “Nursery production remained stable despite intense competition from southern California and the negative effects of a slowing real estate market.”
Nursery crops include bedding plants, Christmas trees and perennials.
“The nursery industry follows the construction industry,” said Bill Blocher, vice president of Western Tree Nursery on Hecker Pass Road, a wholesale grower that sells ornamental nursery stock to buyers all over northern California. “It’s just as slow or bumpy as the construction industry. This year is going to be a challenge.”
Despite the challenges nurseries faced in 2007 – hurdles many businesses overcame, like the skyrocketing cost of diesel fuel, fluctuating weather patterns and an increase in the minimum wage – their product held steady in the number one spot.
While nursery crops were up, mushrooms were slightly down, bringing in $37,000 less than the previous year, “a nominal decrease,” Van Wassenhove said. “In 2007, slight decreases in yield and price were offset by an increase in the harvested acreage.”
Bell peppers came in third, raking in $14,747,000, largely due to additional acreage. Growers harvested 1,678 acres of peppers in 2007, 235 more acres than the previous year.
“We’re big into bell peppers,” said George Chiala, president of Chiala Farms in Morgan Hill. “The demand for peppers is very, very good. Unbelievably good.”
Acreage, price and yield for bell pepper were all up in 2007, O’Day said.
With fewer peppers coming out of the San Joaquin Valley due to dry conditions and crop shortages, Chiala said Santa Clara County farmers are making up for that deficit.
While the county’s pepper crop was strong last year, Chiala sees several challenges brewing on the horizon, namely the drought conditions the entire state is experiencing.
Chiala Farms depends on growers from all over the region to supply the crops that become Chiala’s tasty roasted, frozen and pureed varieties.
“In 2007, we had good crops. We just had a hard time getting them picked,” he said. “We depend on other growers to keep our plant going. This year, we’re not getting as many crops in. Water is certainly an issue. Freight is an issue. Processing costs have really climbed.”
Chili peppers also jumped a couple spots in 2007, up $1.2 million to $4,547,000.
The rest of the top 10 crops on the list loosely mirror last year’s, with steers and heifers remaining in fifth place and romaine lettuce in eighth. Tomatoes, cherries, grapes and cut flowers traded places with each other but held fast in the top ten.
“Weather had both positive and negative effects on local crops in 2007,” Van Wassenhove said. “Freezing temperatures in January damaged some nursery crops, but benefited stone fruits such as apricots and cherries.”
“Low rainfall significantly reduced yields of grain hay and the forage produced on local rangeland,” he continued. “Consequently, cattle ranchers were forced to sell calves early and reduce the size of their herds.”
Similar conditions this year may yield similar products, O’Day said. He named expensive fuel, difficulty in securing adequate labor and drought conditions as threats to the 2008 crop.
“These are some of the difficulties farmers face,” he said. “Being a farmer doesn’t come with a retirement plan or medical insurance. Sometimes you hit it, sometimes you don’t.”
Santa Clara County’s Top 10
1. Nursery crops: $87,891,700
2. Mushrooms: $57,701,000
3. Bell peppers: $14,747,000
4. Tomatoes: $7,424,000
5. Steers and heifers: $7,329,000
6. Cherries: $6,555,000
7. Grapes: $6,110,000
8. Romaine lettuce: $5,756,000
9. Cut flowers: $5,576,100
10. Onions: $4,691,000
