Most valuable agricultural products from every state
Most valuable agricultural products from every state
Many Americans are likely familiar with the U.S. Census of Population and Housing, the national count that helps update legislative districts and designate federal funding. But there are other censuses equally as important.
The U.S. government also creates a census of agricultural commodities produced in all 50 states. Since soybeans and cattle cannot fill out forms, the survey is filled out by farmers and ranchers producing any crop or livestock expected to earn at least $1,000 annually. This agriculture census provides a glimpse at the total value of agricultural products sold (the sum of all agricultural commodities sold), top agricultural commodities sold (total amount sold of crops, aquaculture, and animals grouped by type), and the most valuable crops produced (the total amount of each crop produced, not necessarily sold).
Stacker presents this list of states in alphabetical order, with each entry’s national ranking. We used data from the 2017 state agricultural overview reports, commodity values from 2012, and crop values from survey data updated as of Jan. 3, 2019. See how your state ranks as an agricultural powerhouse, and which products are providing the biggest boost to your local economy.
Alabama
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $5.6 billion (#25 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: poultry and eggs ($3.6 billion), grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($435.5 million), cattle and calves ($429.3 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: cotton ($265.9 million), hay and haylage ($208.6 million), corn ($157.0 million)
Alaska
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $58.9 million (#50 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: aquaculture ($29.8 million), nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod ($13.0 million), cattle and calves ($1.1 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: hay ($9.0 million), potatoes ($2.7 million), barley ($1.3 million)
Arizona
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $3.7 billion (#32 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: vegetables, melons, potatoes, and sweet potatoes ($764.1 million), milk from cows ($763.0 million), cattle and calves ($700.3 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: lettuce ($566.8 million), hay and haylage ($423.2 million), spinach ($119.4 million)
Arkansas
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $9.8 billion (#14 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($4.2 billion), poultry and eggs ($4.0 billion), cattle and calves ($766.5 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: soybeans ($1.7 billion), rice ($950.4 million), corn ($381.1 million)
California
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $42.6 billion (#1 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: fruit, tree nuts, and berries ($17.6 billion), milk from cows ($6.9 billion), vegetables, melons, potatoes, and sweet potatoes ($6.3 billion)
- Most valuable crops produced: grapes ($5.8 billion), almonds ($5.6 billion), strawberries ($3.1 billion)
Colorado
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $7.8 billion (#20 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: cattle and calves ($4.3 billion), grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($1.5 billion), milk from cows ($559.4 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: hay ($701.1 million), corn ($622.8 million), wheat ($328.5 million)
Connecticut
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $550.6 million (#46 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod ($252.9 million), milk from cows ($69.8 million), poultry and eggs ($48.9 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: apples ($19.9 million), hay ($15.7 million), maple syrup ($1.2 million)
Delaware
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $1.3 billion (#39 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: poultry and eggs ($811.3 million), grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($345.3 million), vegetables, melons, potatoes, and sweet potatoes ($61.0 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: corn ($127.7 million), soybeans ($74.1 million), wheat ($22.9 million)
Florida
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $7.7 billion (#21 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: fruit, tree nuts, and berries ($1.8 billion), nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod ($1.7 billion), vegetables, melons, potatoes, and sweet potatoes ($1.3 billion)
- Most valuable crops produced: oranges ($1.0 billion), strawberries ($336.9 million), tomatoes ($262.0 million)
Georgia
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $9.3 billion (#15 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: poultry and eggs ($4.8 billion), cotton and cottonseed ($1.0 billion), other crops and hay ($1.0 billion)
- Most valuable crops produced: cotton ($794.9 million), peanuts ($780.5 million), pecans ($256.8 million)
Hawaii
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $661.3 million (#45 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($152.9 million), fruit, tree nuts, and berries ($151.8 million), nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod ($79.9 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: macadamias ($53.9 million), coffee ($43.8 million), papayas ($9.4 million)
Idaho
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $7.8 billion (#19 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: milk from cows ($2.3 billion), cattle and calves ($1.8 billion), grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($1.4 billion)
- Most valuable crops produced: potatoes ($975.0 million), hay and haylage ($787.7 million), wheat ($415.7 million)
Illinois
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $17.2 billion (#7 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($13.6 billion), hogs and pigs ($1.5 billion), cattle and calves ($984.5 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: corn ($7.4 billion), soybeans ($5.9 billion), hay and haylage ($219.8 million)
Indiana
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $11.2 billion (#10 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($7.2 billion), hogs and pigs ($1.3 billion), poultry and eggs ($1.2 billion)
- Most valuable crops produced: corn ($3.2 billion), soybeans ($3.1 billion), hay and haylage ($259.5 million)
Iowa
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $30.8 billion (#2 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($17.1 billion), hogs and pigs ($6.8 billion), cattle and calves ($4.5 billion)
- Most valuable crops produced: corn ($8.5 billion), soybeans ($5.2 billion), hay and haylage ($393.1 million)
Kansas
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $18.5 billion (#6 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: cattle and calves ($10.2 billion), grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($6.5 billion), hogs and pigs ($697.0 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: corn ($2.2 billion), soybeans ($1.7 billion), wheat ($1.3 billion)
Kentucky
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $5.1 billion (#27 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($1.7 billion), poultry and eggs ($1.1 billion), cattle and calves ($1.0 billion)
- Most valuable crops produced: soybeans ($992.2 million), corn ($770.9 million), hay ($615.3 million)
Louisiana
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $3.8 billion (#30 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($1.8 billion), other crops and hay ($635.3 million), poultry and eggs ($574.2 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: soybeans ($654.8 million), corn ($333.6 million), rice ($312.7 million)
Maine
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $763.1 million (#44 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: vegetables, melons, potatoes, and sweet potatoes ($207.3 million), milk from cows ($126.6 million), fruit, tree nuts, and berries ($114.7 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: potatoes ($155.0 million), hay ($38.5 million), maple syrup ($23.9 million)
Maryland
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $2.3 billion (#36 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: poultry and eggs ($923.0 million), grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($716.3 million), nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod ($204.8 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: corn ($281.7 million), soybeans ($232.3 million), hay ($78.3 million)
Massachusetts
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $492.2 million (#47 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod ($144.2 million), fruit, tree nuts, and berries ($125.6 million), vegetables, melons, potatoes, and sweet potatoes ($81.2 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: cranberries ($59.7 million), hay and haylage ($24.4 million), apples ($14.6 million)
Michigan
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $8.7 billion (#18 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($3.6 billion), milk from cows ($1.5 billion), nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod ($727.8 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: corn ($1.0 billion), soybeans ($897.2 million), hay and haylage ($441.3 million)
Minnesota
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $21.3 billion (#5 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($12.3 billion), hogs and pigs ($2.8 billion), milk from cows ($1.6 billion)
- Most valuable crops produced: corn ($4.5 billion), soybeans ($3.5 billion), hay and haylage ($444.0 million)
Mississippi
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $6.4 billion (#24 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: poultry and eggs ($2.7 billion), grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($2.3 billion), cotton and cottonseed ($367.8 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: soybeans ($1.1 billion), cotton ($465.0 million), corn ($344.9 million)
Missouri
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $9.2 billion (#16 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($3.9 billion), cattle and calves ($2.0 billion), poultry and eggs ($1.4 billion)
- Most valuable crops produced: soybeans ($2.7 billion), corn ($1.8 billion), hay and haylage ($577.8 million)
Montana
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $4.2 billion (#29 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($1.8 billion), cattle and calves ($1.8 billion), other crops and hay ($403.3 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: hay ($686.9 million), wheat ($674.2 million), barley ($125.3 million)
Nebraska
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $23.1 billion (#4 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($10.7 billion), cattle and calves ($10.1 billion), hogs and pigs ($1.1 billion)
- Most valuable crops produced: corn ($5.6 billion), soybeans ($3.0 billion), hay and haylage ($531.1 million)
Nevada
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $764.1 million (#43 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: other crops and hay ($280.6 million), cattle and calves ($241.6 million), milk from cows ($125.6 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: hay ($195.4 million), wheat ($4.9 million), corn (n/a)
New Hampshire
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $190.9 million (#48 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: milk from cows ($54.8 million), nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod ($49.9 million), poultry and eggs ($13.5 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: hay ($9.5 million), maple syrup ($6.7 million), corn (n/a)
New Jersey
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $1.0 billion (#40 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod ($405.2 million), vegetables, melons, potatoes, and sweet potatoes ($191.7 million), fruit, tree nuts, and berries ($145.4 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: blueberries ($83.8 million), peaches ($44.0 million), corn ($43.8 million)
New Mexico
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $2.6 billion (#35 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: milk from cows ($1.3 billion), cattle and calves ($630.8 million), other crops and hay ($206.1 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: pecans ($220.8 million), hay and haylage ($200.2 million), peppers ($44.6 million)
New York
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $5.4 billion (#26 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: milk from cows ($2.4 billion), grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($855.9 million), cattle and calves ($449.5 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: hay and haylage ($919.3 million), apples ($343.1 million), corn ($300.6 million)
North Carolina
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $12.6 billion (#8 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: poultry and eggs ($4.8 billion), hogs and pigs ($2.9 billion), grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($1.8 billion)
- Most valuable crops produced: tobacco ($723.6 million), soybeans ($638.8 million), corn ($501.0 million)
North Dakota
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $11.0 billion (#11 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($8.8 billion), cattle and calves ($1.1 billion), other crops and hay ($592.4 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: soybeans ($2.1 billion), wheat ($1.4 billion), corn ($1.3 billion)
Ohio
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $10.1 billion (#13 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($5.8 billion), poultry and eggs ($946.6 million), milk from cows ($938.3 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: soybeans ($2.4 billion), corn ($2.0 billion), hay and haylage ($421.0 million)
Oklahoma
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $7.1 billion (#23 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: cattle and calves ($3.4 billion), grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($1.3 billion), poultry and eggs ($961.3 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: hay ($498.4 million), wheat ($379.6 million), cotton ($362.3 million)
Oregon
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $4.9 billion (#28 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: cattle and calves ($894.5 million), other crops and hay ($803.7 million), nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod ($756.5 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: hay and haylage ($585.2 million), wheat ($238.7 million), pears ($176.6 million)
Pennsylvania
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $7.4 billion (#22 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: milk from cows ($2.0 billion), poultry and eggs ($1.4 billion), grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($1.2 billion)
- Most valuable crops produced: hay and haylage ($899.4 million), corn ($562.9 million), soybeans ($259.7 million)
Rhode Island
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $59.7 million (#49 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod ($32.8 million), vegetables, melons, potatoes, and sweet potatoes ($9.3 million), fruit, tree nuts, and berries ($4.1 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: hay ($1.8 million), corn (n/a)
South Carolina
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $3.0 billion (#34 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: poultry and eggs ($1.5 billion), grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($499.6 million), cotton and cottonseed ($213.8 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: corn ($187.9 million), cotton ($151.2 million), soybeans ($137.8 million)
South Dakota
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $10.2 billion (#12 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($5.8 billion), cattle and calves ($3.0 billion), hogs and pigs ($446.8 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: corn ($2.2 billion), soybeans ($2.1 billion), hay and haylage ($503.0 million)
Tennessee
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $3.6 billion (#33 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($1.3 billion), cattle and calves ($735.5 million), poultry and eggs ($552.0 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: soybeans ($805.1 million), hay ($457.6 million), corn ($431.0 million)
Texas
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $25.4 billion (#3 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: cattle and calves ($13.0 billion), grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($3.0 billion), poultry and eggs ($2.6 billion)
- Most valuable crops produced: cotton ($3.0 billion), hay and haylage ($1.2 billion), corn ($1.2 billion)
Utah
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $1.8 billion (#37 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: cattle and calves ($364.2 million), milk from cows ($326.4 million), other crops and hay ($297.2 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: hay and haylage ($332.3 million), wheat ($29.0 million), corn ($12.8 million)
Vermont
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $776.1 million (#42 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: milk from cows ($504.9 million), other crops and hay ($88.3 million), cattle and calves ($61.9 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: hay and haylage ($152.0 million), maple syrup ($53.5 million), apples ($18.5 million)
Virginia
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $3.8 billion (#31 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: poultry and eggs ($1.2 billion), cattle and calves ($708.0 million), grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($633.7 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: hay and haylage ($347.0 million), soybeans ($241.4 million), corn ($180.9 million)
Washington
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $9.1 billion (#17 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: fruit, tree nuts, and berries ($2.9 billion), grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($1.5 billion), milk from cows ($1.1 billion)
- Most valuable crops produced: apples ($2.4 billion), potatoes ($686.6 million), wheat ($680.3 million)
West Virginia
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $806.8 million (#41 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: poultry and eggs ($401.4 million), cattle and calves ($217.4 million), grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($37.4 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: hay ($122.2 million), corn ($19.1 million), apples ($18.2 million)
Wisconsin
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $11.7 billion (#9 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: milk from cows ($5.0 billion), grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($3.4 billion), cattle and calves ($1.4 billion)
- Most valuable crops produced: corn ($1.7 billion), soybeans ($940.4 million), hay and haylage ($816.2 million)
Wyoming
- Total value of agricultural products sold: $1.7 billion (#38 among all states)
- Top agricultural commodities sold: cattle and calves ($1.1 billion), other crops and hay ($257.6 million), grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas ($169.8 million)
- Most valuable crops produced: hay ($330.1 million), corn ($31.7 million), barley ($30.2 million)
