MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County agriculture pumped more than $11 billion into the local economy in 2023 and supported 81,315 jobs, according to a new economic report.
Assistant Agricultural Commissioner Rich Ordonez released the latest comprehensive analysis of the county’s largest industry on Nov. 18, in conjunction with his briefing during the Monterey County Board of Supervisors meeting.
“This study goes beyond our annual agricultural [crop] report,” Ordonez said. “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.”
The annual report, “Economic Contributions of Monterey County Agriculture,” 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.
Monterey County agriculture — including local food production, processing and multiplier effects — contributed $11.706 billion to the county economy in 2023, the study found. This represents more than $32.1 million per day, $1.33 million per hour and $22,000 per minute.
Other key findings include:
- 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 24,950 attributable to multiplier effects.
The study also found that “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,” according to a county news release.
View the full analysis online at countyofmonterey.gov/agcomm. In addition, a limited number of printed copies of the report are available at the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office at 1428 Abbott St. in Salinas.
