Dairy Leads the Way as California Ag Production Tops $60 Billion for First Time

The USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) has released production data summaries for 2024 in California, with a total value for the year of $61.2 billion, an increase of 3.6 percent from 2023. This is the first time that the state’s production value has exceeded $60 billion.

California remains the leading agricultural state in the nation, leading the country in dairy production and many other commodities, and it provides roughly half of the nation’s fruits, nuts and vegetables.

Here are the Top 10 California commodities for 2024:

1. Dairy products, Milk –- $8.6 billion
2. Almonds — $5.7 billion
3. Grapes –- $5.6 billion
4. Cattle and Calves –- $4.982 billion
5. Lettuce –- $3.67 billion
6. Strawberries — $3.5 billion
7. Pistachios — $2.046 billion
8. Tomatoes — $1.6 billion
9. Carrots — $1.565 billion
10. Broilers — $1.4 billion

Please see CDFA’s agricultural statistics page for more.

Posted on September 10, 2025 by Office of Public Affairs