Monterey County crop report: $4.82 billion in farm production in 2025; strawberries lead

Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner Juan Hidalgo said the county's gross agricultural production value for 2025 was $4.82 billion at a morning press briefing, with strawberries and leaf lettuce each exceeding $1 billion in farm-gate value.

The announcement came as Hidalgo and industry representatives stressed the county's crop diversity and noted several headwinds. "The gross production value of agricultural commodities in Monterey County for 2025 was $4,820,000,000," Hidalgo said, adding that the total represented about a 3% decline from 2024.

The report ranked strawberries No. 1 after surpassing $1 billion in value and leaf lettuce No. 2, also above $1 billion. Head lettuce ($583 million), broccoli ($516 million) and cauliflower ($194 million) rounded out the top five. Hidalgo said wine grapes were hit especially hard, with gross production value falling about 25% to $114 million as some growers chose not to harvest amid weaker consumer demand.

Norm Groot, executive director of the Monterey County Farm Bureau, said the county's diversity of crops helps maintain resiliency but warned that rising costs are squeezing margins. Groot cited a Farm Bureau study showing regulatory compliance now accounts for roughly 13% of production costs, or about $1,600 per acre.

Jody Rainman, director of public relations with the California Strawberry Commission, described the broader significance of strawberries to California agriculture and emphasized partnerships with Cal Poly and the University of California on sustainable practices. She noted the industry's role in jobs and local reinvestment.

Speakers also discussed pests and diseases that affected 2025 yields, including diamondback moth damage to brassicas and an uptick in impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) in lettuce, and cited fluctuating tariffs in spring and summer 2025 as a factor that raised input costs and coincided with a 25% decline in exported pounds of commodities compared with 2024. Hidalgo framed tariffs and input-cost changes as contributing factors to export declines.

In a media question-and-answer period, Hidalgo confirmed the overall report showed a modest net decline of about 3% while strawberries rose about 3% year over year. On organic acreage, Hidalgo said acreage remained "relatively the same" with a small decrease of a couple thousand acres but noted that organic production value has more than doubled in the county over the past decade. He added that Monterey County itself does not run programs to cover certification costs, but state and U.S. Department of Agriculture programs can provide cost-share assistance for initial certification.

The briefing closed with Hidalgo thanking Farm Bureau and Strawberry Commission representatives and county staff for compiling the report. No formal motions or votes were taken.