Monterey County Agriculture Drives Local Economy with Over $11 Billion Impact, New Report Shows

 

MONTEREY COUNTY, CA – Monterey County agriculture contributed $11.706 billion into the local

economy in 2023 and supported 81,315 jobs, Assistant Agricultural Commissioner Rich Ordonez announced on November 18 as he released the latest comprehensive analysis of the county’s largest industry.

“This study goes beyond our annual agricultural report,” said Ordonez. “Instead of stopping at farm production

values, it also quantifies local food processing, employment, and economic ripple effects. The findings offer

vital information for anyone who values a vibrant and resilient local economy.”

To put the contribution in perspective, Monterey County agriculture pumped $32.1 million dollars into the

county economy per day, or more than $1.33 million per hour.

This annual study was conducted for the Office of the Agricultural Commissioner by Drs. Jeff Langholz and

Fernando DePaolis of the Monterey-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies. Key findings include:

• Including local food production, processing, and multiplier effects, agriculture contributed

$11.706 billion to the county economy in 2023. This represents more than $32.1 million dollars

per day, $1.33 million per hour, and over $22,000 per minute.

• Of the $11.706 billion in total economic contribution, $7.897 billion came from direct economic

output via production and processing. An additional $3.809 billion came from multiplier effects

generated by purchases of agricultural supplies and spending by employees.

• Agriculture’s $7.897 billion in combined direct output from production and processing

represented 16.3% of the county’s total 2023 economic output of $48.385 billion, about one out

of every 6.1 dollars. This made agriculture the largest economic sector in Monterey County by

far.

• As the county’s largest employer, agriculture directly supported 56,365 employees,

approximately one out of every 4.7 jobs in Monterey County, plus another 24,951 (rounded)

attributable to multiplier effects.

• Agriculture has a high level of economic diversification across products, which has provided

critical stability and resilience to the agricultural industry and to the larger county economy.

The report, “Economic Contributions of Monterey County Agriculture,” was released today in conjunction

with Assistant Agricultural Commissioner Rich Ordonez’s briefing of the Board of Supervisors. The report

may be viewed online at: https://countyofmonterey.gov/agcomm. A limited number of printed copies of the

report are available at the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office at 1428 Abbott Street in Salinas.