To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Department of Agriculture/Weights & Measures
Staff Name and Phone Number: Andrew F. Smith, (707) 565-2371
Vote Requirement: Informational Only
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
2025 Sonoma County Crop Report and 2024 Crop Report Plus study on the Economic Contributions of Sonoma County Agriculture
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Receive the 2025 Sonoma County Crop Report and 2024 Crop Report Plus study on the Economic Contributions of Sonoma County Agriculture - Informational Only.
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Executive Summary:
The Agricultural Commissioner is required by State law to annually compile and report crop and livestock statistics, as well as pest exclusion, management, and eradication activities to the Board of Supervisors and the Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
The Sonoma County Department of Agriculture/Weights & Measures has compiled the annual Crop Report since 1928. The 2025 report shows a total gross production value of $820,373,000, which represents a 2.1% decrease from the 2024 value of $837,873,200.
All Crop Reports are available on the Department’s website at <https://sonomacounty.gov/natural-resources/agriculture-weights-and-measures/crop-reports>.
New this year, the Agricultural Commissioner is also presenting the first Crop Report Plus study on the Economic Contributions of Sonoma County Agriculture, created in collaboration with the Economic Development Collaborative and Agricultural Impact Associates LLC using data from the 2024 Crop Report. Crop Report Plus uses twenty-first century tools to document agriculture’s broader role in sustaining a thriving local economy by quantifying contributions through production, local processing, employment, and other economic multiplier effects.
Discussion:
The annual Crop Report provides an accounting of Sonoma County agricultural commodity production and gross values, not net farm income, and is used in the community as a valuable resource for economic development, tourism, financing, and history by illustrating trends in agricultural production.
Department of Agriculture/Weights & Measures activities are also highlighted in the report and include a summary of accomplishments for the Agriculture, Land Stewardship, and Weights & Measures Divisions. Data on non-agricultural crops such as commercial fish landings and timber harvests are also included from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Board of Equalization, respectively.
2025 Crop Report
The 2025 Crop Report highlights the long history of booms and busts for winegrape production in Sonoma County. The grape growing community has a storied past in our county and despite the challenges they face, they remain a critical part of our local agricultural community. We want to recognize their resilience and commitment to producing world class wines in Sonoma County.
The 2025 grape season started off with an early bloom and a cool spring. Summer months stayed cool, with none of the drastic heat spikes of past vintages, allowing for long hang time and great phenolic development in the fruit. Late rains forced growers to make the decision to pick prior to desired sugar levels and significant tonnage was left on the vines due to decreased demand. Tonnage harvested in 2025 was 186,845.8 tons, a 11.66% decrease from 2024. However, the average value per ton slightly increased to $3,103.23. As a result, total winegrape value was $579,825,500, a 7.46% decrease compared to 2024.
Apples had their highest tonnage harvested since 2016, a 67.3% increase in apple tonnage brought to market compared to 2024. Misty spring rains and mild temperatures were the perfect recipe for fruit set. Gravenstein price per ton increased by 2.88%, while the price per ton for late apples declined by 10.86%. Overall, the value of apples increased by 54.7% to $6,031,000 compared to 2024.
The total value of livestock and poultry products increased 23.5% (to $100,876,400). This was partially due to poultry producers having fewer outbreaks of Highly Pathogenetic Avian Influenza and rebounding with a 43% increase in egg production. Total milk values increased 16.7% (to $71,045,600) with a 23.9% jump in organic milk production value.
Nursery product value increased 5.6% to $66,182,600 from 2024. The value of ornamentals had a significant gain of 12.0%, but bedding plants dropped 6.5%. Cut flowers saw an increase of 6.3% and miscellaneous products such as grapevines, fruit and nut trees, and succulents saw a small decline of 1.1%. Christmas trees experienced an increase in 2025 of 30.5%. Overall, the value of nursery products increased due to consumer demand for ornamental plants, Christmas trees, and cut flowers.
In 2025, cannabis cultivation acreage totaled 13.16 acres (not including nursery and mixed-light cultivation) with a total value of $17,023,100. Acreage decreased slightly from 13.46 acres in 2024, and the overall value increased from the 2024 total value of $12,197,400. The total value includes outdoor, indoor, and mixed-light cultivation, as well as nursery product values, for unincorporated Sonoma County.
This data is collected through surveys of more than 1,000 Sonoma County producers. Without their support and responses to these surveys, this report would not be possible.
2024 Crop Report Plus
In collaboration with the Economic Development Collaborative and Agricultural Impact Associates LLC, we are including the inaugural Crop Report Plus study on the Economic Contributions of Sonoma County Agriculture for 2024. Crop Report Plus uses twenty-first century tools to document agriculture’s broader role in sustaining a thriving local economy by quantifying contributions through production, local processing, employment, and other indirect and induced effects.
This study shows that in 2024, the total value of the Sonoma County agricultural industry was $5.8 billion, far exceeding the farm production values reported in the 2024 Crop Report of $857.6 million.
Direct effects include growing and harvesting, marketing and sales, and support roles. Beyond the direct effects associated with the agriculture industry, the indirect and induced effects (or multiplier effects) of the agriculture industry can be seen through business-to-business purchases and household consumption (groceries, housing, etc.) by agriculture operation owners and employees. The agricultural industry’s total value is further increased by local processing and local sales (e.g. farm-to-table).
The report highlights the level of diversity within our local agriculture industry; habitat and ecosystem benefits provided by working lands; and the over 25,000 local employees who are supported by working directly or indirectly in the agricultural industry.
Some highlights from the report include:
• Production - 9,094 total jobs (6,003 direct jobs, 3091 from multiplier effects)
• Processing - 16,763 total jobs (8,788 direct jobs, 7,975 from multiplier effects)
• Agricultural direct employment represents roughly one out of every 21 jobs in Sonoma County.
• Agricultural direct output represents about one out of every 18 dollars of output across all industries in Sonoma County.
The Department plans to update the Crop Report Plus every five years to track the full economic impacts of the agricultural industry over time.
Strategic Plan:
N/A - the Agricultural Commissioner is required by State law to annually compile and report crop and livestock statistics, and pest exclusion, management, and eradication activities to the Board of Supervisors and the Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
The Board of Supervisors has received the Sonoma County Crop Report annually since 1928.
09/09/2025 - The Board of Supervisors received the 2024 Sonoma County Crop Report
Fiscal Summary
N/A
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
N/A
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Attachment A: 2025 Sonoma County Crop Report
Attachment B: 2024 Crop Report Plus study of the Economic Contributions of Sonoma County Agriculture
Attachment C: PowerPoint Presentation
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
N/A