AGST 3000AGST 3000Agriculture, Environment, and SocietyAgriculture, Environment, and Society

Lecture 4Lecture 4

California California AgricultureAgriculture

Size of CaliforniaSize of California

A. 158,693 sq. mi. (exceeded in size only by Texas)

B. Largest agricultural area = Central Valley (400 mi. long and 50 mi. wide)

Early California AgricultureEarly California AgricultureNative American Cultures

A. Primitive compared to Aztecs of Mexico or Iroquois of Northeast

B. Primarily all hunter-gatherers-Miwok-Yokut

C. Miwok cultural development:-Harvest celebrations -No weapons-Changing seasons -No political hierarchy-Marriage and divorce -No warfare

D. By 1852 this peaceful population was wiped out due to typhoid, diphtheria, small pox, bounty hunters,

enslavement, and starvation

-50 years to destroy a population that had existed for untold generations

The Spanish RegimeThe Spanish RegimeA. CA. was discovered by a Portuguese-born navigator, Juan

Rodriguez Cabrillo, San Diego Harbor in 1542

B. Sir Francis Drake camped at Point Reyes on the northern coast in 1579

C. The “Franciscans” a roman Catholic religious order led by “Father Serra” established missions from San Diego to Sonoma, 36 miles apart (1 day horseback ride) 1769-1824 Built by Indians that were converted by the Spanish fathers

D. Many of CA fruit and nut crops were established at the missions: oranges, and other citrus, almonds, cherries, apricots, pears, plums, etc. Mediterranean Climate

E. The Russian Presence – fur traders in the northern most part of CA established Fort Ross.

The Mexican Regime: (1821-1848)The Mexican Regime: (1821-1848)

A. Provided large tracts of land to anyone accepting the Catholic faith and becoming a Mexican citizen. These areas were called “Ranchos”

B. Hides and tallow were the principle products exported from California during this time. San Diego was the primary port.

C. Influx of foreigners – 1840’s, California was becoming difficult to control as more pioneer settlers began to appear via the overland routes.

D. John Bidwell led the first group of immigrants to California via the California Trail.

E. 1846 Mexican – American War separated California from Mexican rule (Bear Flag Rebellion)

Statehood and the Gold Rush Statehood and the Gold Rush continued…continued…

A. Jan. 24, 1848, James William Marshall discovered gold at Coloma on the American River.

B. California received its statehood in 1848

-Population of San Francisco in 1847 was 462 and 4 ships had visited the port.

-In 1848 695 ships arrived bringing 100,000 new immigrants

C. The industry behind the Gold Rush

-Levi Strauss outfitted gold miners in denim jeans

-“Market hunters”- Tule elk, deer, ducks, geese all were commercially hunted to provide food for hungry miners.

-Miller and Lux Cattle Company – demand for beef, started as a butcher and ended as a cattle baron.

– 750,000 acres of land in CA., OR., NV.

-Citrus industry – “gold nuggets on trees” Anaheim

-Petaluma Poultry Industry - $1.00 each for eggs

-Grain industry – near large cities, counties bordering San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and Sacramento, highest yields in the U.S., short lived because of insects and disease (mild winters allowed these pests to survive)

Statehood and the Gold Rush Statehood and the Gold Rush continued…continued…

D. Ethnic diversity

-1870 50% of all men in CA had been born abroad

-Germans owned the most farmland, Italians 2nd, Portuguese 3rd

-Chinese were indentured slaves for gold mining and weren’t allowed to own property, important cultural influence

-Japanese largest group of tenant farmers

-French in the 1830’s brought the first grape vines (wine)

-Armenians introduced new crops: asparagus, raisins, figs

Statehood and the Gold Rush Statehood and the Gold Rush continued…continued…

California Continues California Continues to Growto Grow

Desirable climate, shipping ports and healthy economy encouraged continued growth in CA long after the Gold Rush ended

What geographic, climatic, socioeconomic conditions supported this continued growth…?

Is it the same today?

B. Markets changed to reflect increasing land values

-Southern California lost hundreds of acres of orange groves due to urban growth, growth of military industry (Navy,

Air Force, NASA, and Intelligence Agencies began during the Cold War 1950’s and continued through the 1970’s)

-The dairy industry shifted from Chino to Tulare

-Hewlett and Packard worked in their garage to manufacture a transistor that led to the development of the “silicon

chip”. Atari, Apple Computers, IBM

-San Jose (Santa Clara Valley) was once an important fruit production area, canneries and agriculture provided income and has since transformed into the “Silicon Valley”

-Urban growth throughout the Central Valley competes with farmland -- causes concern for farmland preservation

California Continues to Grow…continuedCalifornia Continues to Grow…continued

We also know that historically:

1-CA is most populated state in the US 34 million since 1963

2-Ca has been leading Ag in US since 1948(most productive)

1. CA(incl. nursery) 32 billion2. Texas 15.33. Iowa 14.64. Nebraska 10.65. Kansas 9

13% of all Ag $ is from CA.

San Joaquin Valley accounts for 47.7%

Top 10 Ag counties in CA.

FresnoTulareKernMontereyMercedSan JoaquinSan Diego (nursery)StanislausRiverside (nursery)Ventura (nursery)

Market value of Ag products

State Nation State% Nation%

Fresno 1 1 12 1.4Kern 2 2 8.5 1Tulare 3 3 8.3 1Merced 5 6 5.5 .6Stanislaus 6 7 5.2 .6San Joaquin 7 8 5.1 .6Kings 11 18 3.0 .4Madera 14 25 2.7

California Ranking in Ag Production in relationship to the Valley

•CA with valley is #1•Texas 2•Iowa 3•SJ valley 4

(if it was a state)

Irrigated land Dairy ProductsFresno 1 Tulare 1Kern 2 Merced 2Tulare 3 Stanislaus 4San Joaquin 4 San Joaquin 9Merced 5 2/3 of valley 11.4% of nationStanislaus 11 California…17 % of nationCalifornia…15.8 % California’s No. 1 Ag Product of nation

Fruits, nuts and berries 23 % of nation

National Rankingshttp://www.nass.usda.gov/census/census97/rankings/tablist.htm

The importance of the valley to the state is that it is the top producing ag area.

6% of national sales

California…11.7% of national agriculture sales

Top 25 commodities (in order of production) 2001-2002

Milk/Cream Tulare, Merced, Stanislaus, San Bernardino, KingsGrapes Kern, Fresno, Tulare, Napa, SonomaNursery San Diego, Orange, Riverside, Monterey, Ventura, Cattle Tulare, Imperial, Fresno, Merced, San BernardinoLettuce Monterey, Imperial, Fresno, Santa Barbara, San

BenitoAlmonds Kern, Stanislaus, Fresno, Merced, MaderaOranges Tulare, Kern, Fresno, Ventura, RiversideHay, Alfalfa Imperial, Kern, Tulare, Merced, Fresno

www.nass.usda.gov/pub/nass/ca/AgComm/200208cavtb00.pdf

Important trendsImportant trends1. Decline in farm number.

a. 78,000 today b. 144,000 in 1950

2. Increase in land/acre on farms. CA Avg.

a. 345 ac. Today b. 210 in 1950

3. Increase in productivity/more value per acre.

4. Loss of farming acreage and expansion to foothills because of urbanization.

Williamson Act

2006 Principal CA exports2006 Principal CA exports(not in specific order)(not in specific order)

1. Almonds

2.Cotton

3.Wine

4.Table grapes

5.Walnuts

6.Oranges

C.Williamson Act = California Land Conservation Act of 1965

-Designed to prevent the loss of valuable farmland

-Provides a tax break to property owners if they agree to restrict land to agricultural use only for 10 years

-Voluntary program

California Continues to Grow…California Continues to Grow…continuedcontinued

Journal AssignmentJournal Assignment

Summarize CA Ag, what you learned in class.

Educate yourself about the Williamson Act - Note your sources. provide some detail as to requirements and limitations. Current issues regarding this legislation.

Keep it to 2 double-spaced pages!!

http://www.nass.usda.gov/ca/bul/agcom/indexcav.htmwww.cdfa.ca.gov/card/card_new02.htm