Nursery crops retained their top spot in Santa Clara County in 2023, according to Santa Clara 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, according to county officials.
Overall, the value of Santa Clara County’s agricultural products rose 3.5%, bringing their total value to $371.5 million, says the annual crop report. Nursery crops increased their value by 11% to nearly $128 million.
It was also a good year for leafy greens as the return to pre-pandemic restaurant dining created a big demand for lettuce. While lettuce 2023 remained the county’s No. 3 crop, its value increased by 68% to more than $34.5 million in production value, says the county crop report.
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.
The 2023 report furthermore highlights the intersection of innovation and agriculture in Silicon Valley, which is leading the way in agricultural innovation, says a press release from Santa Clara County. Anaerobe Systems, a Morgan Hill business creating sustainable fertilizer from agricultural waste, is one such company highlighted in the report.
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.”
Arenas added, “Our agricultural reach is global. It is Santa Clara County’s residents and farmworkers who are feeding not just local families, but families throughout the world.”
Drew Raymond, the county’s interim agricultural commissioner, said, “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, according to county staff:
- 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.
South County focus
The local crop report highlighted a number of South County entities that contributed to the value of agriculture in 2023, and continue to embrace the merging of ag and technology in Silicon Valley.
The Morgan Hill Unified School District uses two 40-foot shipping containers equipped as “freight farms” to grow more than enough lettuce to feed thousands of students at more than a dozen local schools, says the Santa Clara County crop report.
“A hydroponic system cultivates crops by placing roots in nutrient-rich liquid solutions rather than soil,” the crop report says of the MHUSD freight farms. “Because of their ability to capture and recycle water, hydroponic systems use up to 10 times less water than conventional farming practices.
“In addition, due to the indoor setting, growers can easily control conditions such as humidity, light and temperature. As a result, freight farms are able to produce crops year-round.”
With their two freight farms—one each located at Ann Sobrato and Live Oak high schools—MHUSD produces up to 425 pounds, or 16,000 heads, of lettuce per week, says the crop report.
Also in Morgan Hill, Anaerobe Systems is recognized in the crop report for its groundbreaking use of technology in the processing of agricultural waste.
Anaerobe Systems founder Mike Cox, who died earlier this year, “has revolutionized the microbiology industry by developing fast-growing culture media for anaerobic bacteria as well as the first gloveless anaerobic chamber,” says the crop report.
“In 2019, using its continuous anaerobic fermentation system, Anaerobe Systems launched organic liquid fertilizer and biochar soil amendment products,” the report continues. “Both products are unique in that they are made using fermented crop biomass. They return nitrogen-fixing microbes and other essential nutrients to the soil.”
To read the full Santa Clara County 2023 Crop Report, visit the county’s website at https://tinyurl.com/abncj5a4.
Million dollar crops
Santa Clara County’s top crops for 2023, in dollar value:
Nursery crops: $128 million
Mushrooms: $80m
Lettuce: $34.5m
Bell peppers: $19m
Tomatoes (fresh): $17.5m
Asian vegetables: $10.3m
Wine grapes: $7.5m
Tomatoes (processed): $7m
Corn: $6.8m
Broccoli: $6.3m
West Side reopened?