California is the leading agricultural state in the nation producing more than 400 commodities, with a value of more than $37 billion. Many of the crops grown are fruits and tree nuts, vegetables, herbs and spices, flowers, and horticulture crops which are recognized as specialty crops by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Specialty crops make up a majority of the commodities grown in California — $23 billion worth! You can say that California is pretty special!
Top 3 Commodities Specialty crops are bold
Alameda Winegrapes, Woody Ornamentals, Cattle & Calves
Alpine Cattle & Calves, Pasture & Range, Pasture
Amador Winegrapes, Cattle & Calves, Pasture & Range
Butte Rice, Walnuts, Almonds
Calaveras Cattle & Calves, Poultry, Pasture & Range
Colusa Rice, Almonds, Vegetable Seeds
Contra Costa Cattle & Calves, Sweet Corn, Vegetable Crops
Del Norte Cows, Milk, Lily Bulbs
El Dorado Apples, Cattle & Calves, Winegrapes
Fresno Almonds, Poultry, Raisin Grapes
Glenn Rice, Almonds, Walnuts
Humboldt Timber, Nursery Products, Milk
Imperial Steers & Heifers, Leaf Lettuce, Alfalfa Hay
Inyo Steers, Heifers, Alfalfa Hay
Kern Almonds, Table Grapes, Pistachios
Kings Milk, Cotton, Processing Tomatoes
Lake Winegrapes, Bartlett Pears, Nursery Products
Lassen Hay, Alfalfa Hay, Strawberry Plants
Los Angeles Woody Ornamentals, Bedding Plants, Vegetable Crops
Madera Almonds, Pistachios, Milk
Marin Milk, Cattle & Calves, Poultry
Mariposa Cattle & Calves, Pasture & Range, Livestock Products
Mendocino Winegrapes, Timber, Bartlett Pears
Merced Milk, Almonds, Broiler Chickens
Modoc Alfalfa Hay, Cattle & Calves, Potatoes
Mono Alfalfa Hay, Stockers & Feeders, Steers
Monterey Strawberries, Head Lettuce, Romaine Lettuce
Napa Winegrapes, Cattle & Calves, Nursery Products
Nevada Cattle, Pasture, Pasture & Range
Orange Woody Ornamentals, Strawberries, Vegetable Crops
Placer Rice, Cattle & Calves, Nursery Products
Plumas Stockers & Feeders, Timber, Pasture
Riverside Milk, Woody Ornamentals, Table Grapes
Sacramento Winegrapes, Milk, Bartlett Pears
San Benito Vegetable Crops, Salad Lettuce, Bell Peppers
San Bernardino Milk, Eggs, Milk Cows
San Diego Woody Ornamentals, Foliage Plants, Bedding Plants
San Francisco Cut Flowers, Alfalfa & Bean Sprouts
San Joaquin Milk, Winegrapes, Walnuts
San Luis Obispo Winegrapes, Strawberries, Broccoli
San Mateo Potted Plants, Nursery Products, Brussels Sprouts
Santa Barbara Strawberries, Broccoli, Vegetable Crops
Santa Clara Mushrooms, Bedding Plants, Nursery Products
Santa Cruz Strawberries, Raspberries, Cut Flowers
Shasta Forest Products, Timber, Hay
Sierra Stockers & Feeders, Timber, Pasture
Siskiyou Strawberry Plants, Alfalfa Hay, Timber
Solano Processing Tomatoes, Walnuts, Vegetable Crops
Sonoma Winegrapes, Milk, Poultry
Stanislaus Milk, Almonds, Chickens
Sutter Rice, Walnuts, Dried Plums
Tehama Walnuts, Almonds, Olives
Trinity Firewood, Timber, Cattle & Calves
Tulare Milk, Navel Oranges, Cattle & Calves
Tuolumne Livestock, Cattle & Calves, Pasture & Range
Ventura Strawberries, Celery, Lemons
Yolo Processing Tomatoes, Rice, Winegrapes
Yuba Rice, Walnuts, Dried Plums
On the map, locate and label major lakes, rivers, mountains, and deserts. Identify the four climate regions (Mountain, Central Valley, Pacific, Desert). Include a map legend and compass. Identify the top four crops grown in each region and write them in the chart.
Hint: Count how many times a commodity is listed in that region. Some counties span multiple regions and the commodity will be counted more than once.
Climate region:
___________________________________________ The top four crops grown:
1. __________________ 3. __________________
Climate region:
___________________________________________ The top four crops grown:
1. __________________ 3. __________________
2. ___________________ 4. ___________________
2. ___________________ 4. ___________________
Climate region:
___________________________________________ The top four crops grown:
1. __________________ 3. __________________
2. ___________________ 4. ___________________
Climate region:
___________________________________________ The top four crops grown:
1. __________________ 3. __________________
2. ___________________ 4. ___________________
Standards: History-Social Science – Grade 3: 3.1.1; Grade 4: 4.1.3, 4.1.4, 4.1.5; Science – Grade 6: 2.a, 2.b Milk and Cream Grapes, All
Which of California’s top 20 commodities are specialty crops? Circle those that are specialty crops. What is their combined value? What percent of the top 20 are specialty crops?
Standards: Mathematics – Grade 5: Number Sense 1.1, 1.2; Grade 6: Number Sense: 2.1, 2.3; Grade 7: Mathematical Reasoning 2.1
What makes California able to produce so many different commodities? One reason is the climate: California has a Mediterranean climate with mild winters and warm summers that provide optimal conditions to grow specialty crops. California also has many micro-climates that allow farmers to grow specific crops in certain areas.
In the local newspaper, check the weather section. On a chart, record the daily temperature for a week. From the chart calculate the mean, mode, and median. Make a graph of the daily temperatures.
Standards: Mathematics – Grade 4: Statistics 1.1; Grade 5: Statistics & Probability 1.2
Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service
www.nass.usda.gov
In the Know 'bout H20
Most rainfall and water is in Northern California. It is transported to the Central Valley and Southern California by the California Aqueduct.
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