Title
Agriculture Department recommending the Board receive an informational presentation on trends seen in the 2025 Crop Report and a departmental summary of programs administered by the Department of Agriculture/Weights & Measures, and file the El Dorado-Alpine Counties 2025 Agricultural Crop and Livestock Report.
FUNDING: General Fund/Unclaimed Gas Tax.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
An annual El Dorado and Alpine Counties crop report is required in accordance with Section 2272 and 2279 of the California's Food and Agricultural Code for the purpose of publishing an accurate and meaningful report of the agricultural conditions. Lending/financial institutions, news outlets, statistical services, education centers, realty agencies, and prospective agricultural land purchasers are extremely interested in the annual crop report. The crop report represents an overview summary of our top commodities, thus protecting the privacy of our growers and ranchers while emphasizing the importance of agriculture to our local economy.
The gross crop value for the County of El Dorado was $100.3 million in 2025, representing an increase of 29% over the 2024 value. The highest value crop in 2025 was livestock, at $31.6 million, which is a 49% increase over the 2024 value. Beef prices, which have been rising steadily over the last few years, increased dramatically from $220 per hundredweight (cwt) in 2024 to $354 per cwt in 2025. The next highest value crop was apples, totaling $21.9 million, which is a 76% increase over the 2024 value. This was due to a cyclical increase in average yield from 4.17 tons per acre in 2024 to 8.91 tons per acre in 2025. Nursery products also increased significantly from $3.9 million to $7.6 million. Wine grape values decreased 26% from $8.1 million in 2024 to $5.99 million in 2025. Approximately 37.9% of grape tonnage grown in 2025 was not sold or utilized.
Monetary values in this report are F.O.B. (Freight On Board) and do not reflect net returns or profits realized by the growers. It is estimated that the impact of agriculture to the County of El Dorado’s economy totaled approximately $730 million in 2025, of which, Apple Hill and value-added products contributed an estimated $415 million while the wine industry added another $286 million.
ALTERNATIVES
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PRIOR BOARD ACTION
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OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
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CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Receive and file the 2025 Crop Report, as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no impact resulting from receiving and filing the Report.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
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STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
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CONTACT
Jesse Fowler x(530) 621-5520