Page updated/verified: Mar 29, 2018
Agriculture: A Cornerstone of Washington's Economy
For more
information, email
pio@agr.wa.gov or call
360-902-1813.
Rich soils, diverse climates and large-scale irrigation make
Washington one of the most productive growing regions in the
world and enables farmers to produce over 300 crops each year.
The state's deep-water ports and its proximity to important
Asian markets also provide natural advantages for agricultural
trade.

Want to know when certain crops are growing? See our "Washington Grown Seasonality Charts" for
Vegetables [PDF 284 KB] and
Fruits,
Legume and Herbs. [PDF 218 KB]
Information on agriculture from the U.S. Department
of Agriculture Each year, the USDA updates facts and
figures regarding agriculture in Washington. Find that
information here:
USDA's National Agricultural Statistics for WA
For the most recent production rates,
see the USDA's October 13, 2017 press release, "Value
of Washington's 2016 Agricultural Production Totals
$10.6 Billion." [pdf 243 kb]
Visit USDA's
Washington State Field Office for more information.
2016 Top Crops
Washington's farms power a diverse agricultural
economy, led by the state's apple industry with 70 percent of U.S. production.
|
Top 10 Commodity |
2016 Value of
Production |
| 1. Apples |
$
2.4 (billion) |
| 2. Milk |
$ 1.1 (billion) |
| 3.
Potatoes |
$ 813 (million) |
| 4. Cattle |
$ 704
(million) |
| 5. Wheat |
$ 657
(million) |
| 6.
Cherries |
$
503
(million) |
|
7. Hay |
$ 479 (million) |
|
8. Hops |
$ 382 (million) |
| 9. Grapes |
$ 360 (million) |
|
10. Pears |
$ 233 (million) |
In conjunction with Washington's top 10 crops, we are also a
leading producer of many other crops nationally. See the chart
below to see how Washington crops stack up against the rest of
the nation in production in 2016.
|
WA Ranks 1st |
WA Ranks 2nd |
WA Ranks 3rd |
| Apples |
Potatoes |
Peppermint
Oil |
| Hops |
Niagara
Grapes |
Lentils |
| Spearamint
Oil |
Nectarines |
Dried Peas |
| Wrinkled
Seed Peas |
Apricots |
Tart
Cherries |
| Concord
Grapes |
All grapes |
|
| Sweet
Cherries |
Asparagus |
|
|
Pears |
All Raspberries |
|
|
Raspberries* |
Onions |
|
|
Blueberries |
|
|
|
Aquaculture |
|
|
|