If you’ve been around California for any amount of time, you’ve noticed that the face of farming in our state has been changing. Some of the fields that used to be lined with tomatoes or lettuce are now producing high-value, perennial crops like wine grapes and tree nuts.

Some have suggested that this shift is bad for California, claiming that these perennial crops reduce jobs and use more than their fair share of key natural resources.

Agriculture is like every other economic community in the United States. We are trying to take the raw materials at our disposal and deliver greater value to our families and our communities.

To understand how the changing agricultural landscape is impacting California, you must first understand the reasons behind the shift. The Central Valley is home to some of the most productive farmland in the country. It’s a great place to grow a wide range of crops, but it’s not the only place to grow many of them.

You can visit Florida and find thriving fields of tomatoes or head up to Oregon for fresh strawberries. California is, however, almost the only place in the country to grow the majority of tree nuts – and it is the only place you can effectively grow almonds. That fact creates a big competitive advantage for California – and a competitive advantage means a better return on investment on both the capital invested and the natural resources employed, not just for farmers but for the state as a whole.

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