Delaware’s former secretary of Ag, Ed Kee, lectured about the two leading states in agricultural production and value. California ranks number one with Iowa a close second.
Iowa
Leading Agricultural Crops: Corn, Soybeans, Meat
Iowa Agriculture is particularly interesting, according to Ed Kee what makes Iowa so successful is their location- river transportation, moisture-holding capacity, rainfall, not super hot during the growing season, silt and clay soils, and naturally fertile soils.
Although Iowa is second overall in agricultural professional it is first in:
- Corn Production
- Soybean Production
- Ethanol Production
- Table Eggs
- Pork/Hog Production
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California Agriculture
Leading industries: Horticulture, Milk and Cream & Cotton Agricultural: Milk and Cream, Almonds & Grapes
Although California agriculture is successful, they face a major challenge, water.
On average, California farmers irrigate more than 9 million acres and use about 40 percent of Californias available water. Farmers in California pay for water using roughly 34 million acre-feet of water typically diverted from surface water, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs.
- Exports 26% of its Ag production
- The minimum wage for farm laborers was increased to $15/hour & over 40 hours = time and a half
- 95% of tomato products in the U.S comes from California