BACKGROUND	GLENN COUNTY GENERAL PLAN 2007 - 2027
	Agriculture & Resource Development AGRICULTURE Historically, agriculture has been one of the dominant segments of the Glenn County economy. Intensive agricultural production has been a significant activity since the initial settlement of the county. According to the State of California Employment Development Department (EDD), agriculture represented the single largest source of private sector employment in Glenn County in 1990. Rice grown in the eastern, valley floor portion of the county represents the single most substantial agricultural commodity produced in Glenn County. In 1990, rice accounted for over $50 million in crop value, compared to the $27.2 million in value attributable to dairy products, the next most valuable commodity. Almonds, prunes, cattle, hay and alfalfa, sugar beets, wheat, walnuts, and olives comprised the balance of the ten most valuable agricultural commodities in the county last year. Other significant commodities produced in Glenn County include seed crops and nursery products.
	Discussions with the Glenn County Agricultural Commissioner's office disclose that the rice industry in the county is subject to fluctuation in both production levels and value from year to year, based upon water availability in the case of the former and upon price and federal subsidy programs in the instance of the latter. In general, however, these levels do not vary significantly, and the predominant role of rice production in the local agricultural economy is anticipated to continue. No other major trends are foreseen by the Agricultural Commissioner's office in county agriculture. Proportionately minor growth is anticipated in the dairy industry locally, as metropolitan area dairy facilities are displaced by urban growth in other parts of the State and some such facilities relocate to Glenn County. Tomato production may also undergo local growth if new plant varieties are introduced into the region, particularly in Colusa County, with some "spillover" into Glenn County.
	Agricultural employment in Glenn County in 1989 represented 21.8 percent of the total countywide jobs base. As is true throughout much of California, employment in agriculture has declined somewhat in Glenn County in recent years -- from 24.3 percent in 1972 and 26.3 percent in 1980. In terms of real jobs, there were 1,375 persons employed in agriculture in the county in 1972; 2,200 individuals held agricultural jobs in 1980; and 1,725 agricultural jobs existed in Glenn County in 1989. It should be noted, however, that these totals include persons employed in forestry, which has been subject to a more rapid decline than agriculture in general over the past decade, and consequently real agricultural employment is actually now comparatively constant in terms of numbers of local jobs available. However, as employment in other sectors of the county's economy may increase, the percentage of countywide employment attributable to agricultural jobs can be expected to continue to decrease.
	Agriculture is a particularly fragile segment of the economy, in some respects, upon which to be as heavily dependent as Glenn County is for employment, income and economic stability. In addition to the seasonal profile of agricultural employment, agricultural production is susceptible to climatic factors (e.g. the 1990 freeze, the five-year drought) beyond human control; a variable U.S. dollar value against foreign currencies, affecting overseas marketability of agricultural products; federal policies regarding subsidies and assistance to farmers; and the federal and State regulatory environments, which govern, and increasingly constrain, such agricultural operations as pesticide and herbicide application, waste burning, irrigation water, and employee/employer relations.
	Agriculture is the most extensive land use in Glenn County and the most significant component of the county's economy. Two-thirds of Glenn County's 1,317 square miles are comprised of agricultural croplands and pasture. Croplands are found in the areas of prime agricultural soil in the eastern third of the county along the floodplain of the Sacramento River. In 1989, there were approximately 229,400 acres of irrigated land in the county (State of California Department of Water Resources, Northern District, Glenn County Agricultural Water Use 1989). Grazing lands are found primarily in the central foothills and to the west in the Glenn County portion of the Coast Range. Livestock grazing also occurs in the Mendocino National Forest. The land that is now devoted to agriculture in the county was historically covered by native grasslands and riparian forest.
	The California Department of Conservation's Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program (FMMP) maintains inventories of important farmland within California. Table 2-1 shows the 1988 FMMP inventory of land within Glenn County, and Figure 2-3 shows the approximate locations of such important farmlands. Owners of much of the County's agricultural land currently take advantage of the property tax advantages offered by the Williamson Act (California Land Conservation Act), which reduces such taxes on qualifying agricultural land in exchange for a commitment from the landowner to not develop the land with uses other than those compatible with and supportive of agriculture. Figure 2-4 shows the general location of lands under Williamson Act contract.
	Figure 2-4
	Prime farmland has the best combination of physical and chemical characteristics for crop production. Farmland of statewide importance is not as productive as prime soil, though it still has supported crop production for at least the three preceding years. Unique farmland ranks below prime and statewide important farmlands, though it is still capable of producing "high economic value crops" such as olives, avocados, or grapes. Finally, farmland of local importance ranks below the other three, yet "may be important to the local economy due to its productivity" (Department of Conservation, Important Farmland Map Categories).
	In general, rice is grown on the heavier, less porous soils that are found in the southern part of the county; almonds, prunes, and walnuts on well drained soils in various areas. Olives and other tree crops can be grown on more limited soils, including gravelly soil types, with low volume/controlled irrigation; alfalfa for hay can be grown on a variety of soils with proper management of irrigation and variety selection. Wheat is a rotation crop on irrigated lands used also for sugar beets, corn, beets, and alfalfa. (Pers. comm., Bob Sailsberry, University of California Cooperative Extension, July 15, 1991.)
	The Glenn County Department of Agriculture publishes information on annual agricultural production within the county. Table 2-2 shows the past ten year production acreage for the most important crops in the county. Table 2-3 shows the valuation of agricultural production for the same period.
	With the exception of range land acreage, rice is by far the largest crop in both production acreage and valuation. In 1990, rice accounted for more than one-fourth of total agricultural value generated in the county. Almonds, prunes, and alfalfa hay are also large cash crops; each accounted for more than $10 million in value in 1990. It is important to note that both agricultural production and its value vary significantly from year to year. This can be due to a variety of factors including climatic variations, rainfall, and market conditions.
	Glenn County relies on natural resource based industries including agriculture, gravel mining and timber. According to the Glenn County 2001 Annual Crop and Livestock Report, the following agricultural commodities were the County’s top ten leading crops:
	1. Rice, paddy $95,579,000 2. Dairy products 43,642,000 3. Almonds 26,310,000 4. Cattle and calves 16,349,000 5. Hay, Alfalfa 12,790,000 6. Walnuts 11,545,000 7. Olives 11,534,000 8. Corn 11,181,000 9. Prunes 11,069,000 10. Wheat 3,698,000
	The only crop that requires seasonal migrant farm workers is olives. The amount of olive acreage is being reduced due to the lack of processing facilities. However, most farm labor employees are permanent, long-term employees who live and raise their families in the community.
	HOME