1. AGST 3000 Agriculture, Society and the Natural World
California Agriculture
AGST 3000 Agriculture, Society and the Natural World

2. Size of California A. 158,693 sq. mi. (exceeded in size only by Texas)
B. Largest agricultural area = Central Valley (400 mi. long and 50 mi. wide)

3. Early California Agriculture
Native American Cultures
A. Primitive compared to Aztecs of Mexico or Iroquois of Northeast
B. Primarily all hunter-gatherers
-Miwok
-Yokut
C. Miwok cultural development:
-Harvest celebrations -No weapons
-Changing seasons -No political hierarchy
-Marriage and divorce -No warfare
D. By 1852 this peaceful population was wiped out due to typhoid, diphtheria, small pox, bounty hunters, enslavement, and starvation
-50 years to destroy a population that had existed for untold generations

4. The Spanish Regime
CA. was discovered by a Portuguese-born navigator, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, San Diego Harbor in 1542
Sir Francis Drake camped at Point Reyes on the northern coast in 1579
The “Franciscans” a roman Catholic religious order led by “Father Serra” established missions from San Diego to Sonoma, 36 miles apart (1 day horseback ride) Built by Indians that were converted by the Spanish fathers
Many of CA fruit and nut crops were established at the missions: oranges, and other citrus, almonds, cherries, apricots, pears, plums, etc.
E. The Russian Presence – fur traders in the northern most part of CA established Fort Ross.

5. The Mexican Regime: (1821-1848)
Provided large tracts of land to anyone accepting the Catholic faith and becoming a Mexican citizen. These areas were called “Ranchos”
Hides and tallow were the principle products exported from California during this time. San Diego was the primary port.
Influx of foreigners – 1840’s, California was becoming difficult to control as more pioneer settlers began to appear via the overland routes.
John Bidwell led the first group of immigrants to California via the California Trail.
E Mexican – American War separated California from Mexican rule (Bear Flag Rebellion)

6. Statehood and the Gold Rush continued…
Jan. 24, 1848, James William Marshall discovered gold at Coloma on the American River.
California received its statehood in September, 1850
-Population of San Francisco in 1847 was 462 and 4 ships had visited the port.
-In ships arrived bringing 100,000 new immigrants

7. Statehood and the Gold Rush continued…
The industry behind the Gold Rush
-Levi Strauss outfitted gold miners in denim jeans
-“Market hunters”- Tule elk, deer, ducks, geese all were commercially hunted to provide food for hungry miners.
-Miller and Lux Cattle Company – demand for beef, started as a butcher and ended as a cattle baron.
– 750,000 acres of land in CA., OR., NV.
-Citrus industry – “gold nuggets on trees” Anaheim
-Petaluma Poultry Industry - $1.00 each for eggs
-Grain industry – near large cities, counties bordering San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and Sacramento, highest yields in the U.S., short lived because of insects and disease (mild winters allowed these pests to survive)

8. Statehood and the Gold Rush continued…
Ethnic diversity
% of all men in CA had been born abroad
-Germans owned the most farmland, Italians 2nd, Portuguese 3rd
-Chinese were indentured slaves for gold mining and weren’t allowed to own property, important cultural influence
-Japanese largest group of tenant farmers
-French in the 1830’s brought the first grape vines (wine)
-Armenians introduced new crops: asparagus, raisins, figs

9. California Continues to Grow
Desirable climate, shipping ports and healthy economy encouraged continued growth in CA long after the Gold Rush ended (35-40th latitude)
What geographic, climatic, socioeconomic conditions supported this continued growth…?
Is it the same today?

10. Latitudes and Longitudes of the Earth

11. California Continues to Grow…continued
Markets changed to reflect increasing land values
-Southern California lost hundreds of acres of orange groves due to urban growth, growth of military industry (Navy, Air Force, NASA, and Intelligence Agencies began during the Cold War 1950’s and continued through the 1970’s)
-The dairy industry shifted from Chino to Tulare
-Hewlett and Packard worked in their garage to manufacture a transistor that led to the development of the “silicon chip”. Atari, Apple Computers, IBM
-San Jose (Santa Clara Valley) was once an important fruit production area, canneries and agriculture provided income and has since transformed into the “Silicon Valley”
-Urban growth throughout the Central Valley competes with farmland -- causes concern for farmland preservation

12. California Continues to Grow…continued
Efforts for Ag Land Preservation
Williamson Act = California Land Conservation Act of 1965
-Designed to prevent the loss of valuable farmland
-Provides a tax break to property owners if they agree to restrict land to agricultural use for 10 years
-Voluntary program

13. We also know that historically:
1-CA is most populated state in the US since 1963
Today…36.8 million
2-Ca has been leading Ag in US since 1948(most productive
1. CA (incl. nursery) 31.8 billion
San Joaquin Valley 20.1
2. Texas
3. Iowa
4. Nebraska
5. Minnesota 9.8
USDA, NASS, California Field Office, 2004
13.2% of US Total is from California
San Joaquin Valley accounts for 63.2% or 8.34% of US

14. Top 10 Ag counties in CA. (2004) 1. Fresno $4.688 B 2. Tulare $4.037 B
3. Monterey $3.398 B
4. Kern $3.142 B
5. Merced $2.365 B
6. Stanislaus $1.978 B
7. San Joaquin $1.613 B
8. San Diego $1.462 B
9. Ventura $1.387 B
10. Kings $1.197 B
13. Madera $1.070 B

15. San Joaquin Valley Market value of Ag products
State(04) Nation(02) State%04 Nation%
Fresno
Tulare
Kern
Merced
Stanislaus
San Joaquin
Kings
Madera
Billion $
USDA, NASS 2004

16. What types of crops are grown in California?
For the top 10 Agricultural Counties in California, list the major crops grown in each.

17. California's Top 20 Commodities - 2004 (CDFA)
Millions
11.Cotton, All $   808 
12.Chickens, All $   714
13.Broccoli $   625 
14.Oranges, All $   557 
15.Carrots $   448 
16.Pistachios $   444
17.Walnuts $   439 
18.Avocados $   380
19. Rice $ 353
20. Peppers, All $ 332
Billions
1.Milk and Cream $5.366 
2.Grapes, All $2.757 
3.Nursery $2.649 
4.Almonds $2.200
5.Cattle and Calves $1.634 
6.Lettuce, All $1.462
7.Strawberries $1.219 
8.Tomatoes, All $1.091 
9.Hay, All $1.010
10.Flowers $1.002 

19. National Rankings Irrigated land Dairy Products Fresno 1 Tulare 1
Irrigated land Dairy Products
Fresno 1 Tulare 1
Kern Merced 2
Tulare 3 Stanislaus 4
San Joaquin 4 San Joaquin 9
Merced /3 of valley 11.4% of nation
Stanislaus 11 California…17 % of nation
California…15.8 % California’s No. 1 Ag Product
of nation
Fruits, nuts and berries 23 % of nation

20. Olives Almonds Persimmons Artichokes Pomegranates Clingstone Peaches
Specialty Crops Commercially Produced Only in California (99% or more of total U.S. production)*
Olives
Persimmons
Pomegranates
Plums, Dried (Prunes)
Raisins
Walnuts
Almonds
Artichokes
Clingstone Peaches
Figs
Seed, Ladino Clover
Sweet Rice

21. Important trends
1-decline in farms (144,000 in 1950 to 77,000 in 2004)
There was a large decline, but more productivity/ more value per acre.
What about family farms?
2- decrease in total land in farms
(37,500,000 acres in 1950 to 26,700,000 in 2004)
Loss of acreage because of urbanization and environmental issues causes expansion to lesser quality soils, less access to water
3-increase in acres per farm, economies of size
(260 A in 1950 to 347 in 2004)

22. California's Top 10 Agricultural Export Markets - 2002*
1 Canada $1, Lettuce, Processed Tomatoes, Table Grapes
2 European Union $1,128 Almonds, Wine, Walnuts
3 Japan $ 905 Rice, Almonds, Hay
4 China/Hong Kong $  345 Table Grapes, Oranges, Cotton
5 Mexico $   Dairy, Table Grapes, Processed Tomatoes
6 Korea $   Oranges, Beef, Cotton
7 Taiwan $   Cotton, Peaches and Nectarines, Rice
8 Indonesia $  Cotton, Table Grapes, Dairy
9 India $    94 Almonds, Cotton, Table Grapes
Malaysia $    60 Table Grapes, Oranges, Almonds*
Source: CDFA Resource Directory 2003

23. Assignment …
Access the National Agricultural Statistics Service and California Department of Food and Agriculture
look at the CDFA and NASS Statistical Review and Ag Commissioners Reports
What are the top 10 commodities in 2002 and 2005 for Stanislaus, San Joaquin and Merced Counties?
Using the CDFA Statistical Review, what are the Top 10 Agricultural Export markets for 2005 and what products are exported to each.