Yolo County's agricultural commissioner presented the annual 2024 crop report to the Board of Supervisors on Aug. 21, summarizing commodity values, acreage, exports and inspection activity.

Key figures: The report showed a total reported production value of about $824 million for 2024, down roughly 8.6% from the prior year. Almonds and processing tomatoes were the highest-value commodities (almonds led in 2024), followed by grapes; rice, pistachios and walnuts also featured in the county's top-ten commodities. Organic production and nursery sectors remain important elements of the county's agricultural mix.

Organic certification transition: The county noted it is winding down the Yolo County organic-certification program for budgetary reasons and staff are assisting growers with transitions to other certifiers. The county said roughly half of local operators previously certified locally were in process of switching to alternative certifiers or reapplying elsewhere; staff also are coordinating with other local groups (e.g., California Crop Improvement Association) interested in local certification models.

Inspection and pest-prevention work: The county described its package-inspection program and the recently established canine inspection team. The dog-and-handler team inspects high-risk plant shipments and coordinates a statewide call center to contact shippers and receivers; the program significantly improved the rate at which held packages could be opened for inspection (county staff reported roughly a 95% success rate for obtaining consent to open holdings after call-center coordination). In 2024 staff inspected over 1,000 high-risk plant shipments and issued dozens of rejections when packages violated state or federal quarantine regulations.

Exports and markets: The report listed major export markets and noted the county issues federal phytosanitary certificates that support exports; almonds, rice and other products are sent to multiple international markets. Commissioners noted factors that affect commodity values from year to year — including contracts, weather and international market conditions — and recommended continued outreach around trade and market access.

Next steps: Staff will finalize and file the 2024 crop report as required by state law and continue outreach to producers on organic-certification options and pest-prevention measures.