SLO County sets record with $1.1B in ag revenue
Total revenue for the agricultural industry in San Luis Obispo County hit an all-time high in 2021, at just under $1.1 billion, according to data released Aug. 23 by the San Luis Obispo County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office.
That amounts to a 10% increase over 2020’s total revenue, and it’s only the second time San Luis Obispo County’s farmers and ranchers have topped $1 billion in revenue.
The annual crop report is drawn from a survey that asks all agricultural business to report their total sales; it does not seek to measure expenses or profits.
Santa Barbara County and Ventura County released their crop reports for 2021 in July, with each county reporting around 5% revenue growth over 2020. Santa Barbara and Ventura counties each had around $2 billion in farm revenue, so the tri-county region’s total in 2021 was around $5 billion.
In San Luis Obispo County, strawberries were the top crop for the third straight year, with $319.9 million in revenue, a record for the crop and 11.2% more than in 2020. Wine grapes were second in revenue, at $281.5 million, up 29% from 2020. Avocados, broccoli and cattle rounded out the top five.
Agricultural Commissioner Martin Settevendemie presented statistics from the 2021 crop report to the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 23. The full report had yet to be released at press time.
