Agricultural Exports Predicted to Lift Rivco Ag in 2010
Here’s some good news for our local economy, and especially the agricultural part of it here in Riverside County.
The United States Department of Agriculture is projecting exports of agricultural products to hit $97 billion in 2010. This is great news for Riverside County farmers, ranchers, and diary operators. Dairy, the #2 cash “crop” in Riverside County, is expected to mushroom to a $700 million nationwide export market as the global economy continues to recover. And Riverside County diary producers should benefit from these increased projections for their products.
Overall, ag is a major employer in Riverside County, producing well over a billion dollars per year in products for sale in the Us and abroad.
Cattle production ranks in Riverside County’s top 20, according to the latest figures, and the USDA also expects cattle exports to help lead the surge in exports.
And now the answer that was begged after we dropped the #2 crop statistic: Nursery stock is Riverside County’s #1 ag product.
Eggs, grapes, hey, citrus, grapefruits, potatoes and cotton are also among the top value crops in Riverside County, according to Agricultural Commissioner John Snyder.
Where are Riverside County Ag products headed in 2010? According to the USDA…China, India, and South Korea will be the leading consumers.