Santa Clara County
Agriculture*
AT A GLANCE
In 2014, the County Agricultural
Commissioner’s Offi ce issued a report
profi ling the economic contribution
of agriculture to Santa Clara County.
Here’s how the County defi nes and
values agriculture:
The 8 Sectors of Agriculture
Crop production
Mushroom farms
Nurseries
Livestock
Primary processing
Food manufacturing
Agritourism and wine
Support industries
The Value of Agriculture
$275 million –
gross ag production value
$1.6 billion –
total ag industry output value
$830 million –
annual contribution to Santa Clara
County’s economy
Pete and Joe Aiello
8,100 –
ag workers employed annually
processors in the farming ecosystem. They
also provide ground prep, planting and
harvesting, logistics and trucking services
to other farmers.
“We continue to invest as much as
we can back into growing our business,”
Pete explained. “Sometimes we have to
jump through hoops and be persistent in
order to get things done, but it’s worth
it if we can improve our operations and
service.” Examples of this include a field
of solar collection panels hooked up to the
power grid, and a large, energy-efficient
cold storage facility that has enabled the
Aiello’s to increase their production.
Uesugi’s Market 25 store provides an
opportunity to sell fresh produce and local
food products direct to the community.
The Uesugi Farms Pumpkin Park is home
to one of Northern California’s premiere
fall pumpkin festivals. This October marks
the 26th Annual Giant Pumpkin Weigh-In,
with cash prizes going to the owners of the
heftiest pumpkins. Along with pumpkins,
the park features train rides, hay rides, a
corn maze, a carousel, a petting zoo and
other activities.
On July 16 th , community members will
gather at Guglielmo Winery to honor Joe
Aiello at Leadership Morgan Hill’s annual
Leadership Excellence Award Dinner
(LEAD). Joe will be recognized for his long
history of leadership and volunteerism in
our community. The event will also help
raise funds to support Leadership Morgan
Hill’s ongoing education and training
program, which includes a focus on ag
and open space in South County.
Over $45 billion –
estimated value of the county’s natural
capital, much of it preserved by ag
*ERA Economics Report, “The Economic Contribution of Agriculture to the County
of Santa Clara (2014)” for the county Agricultural Commissioner’s Office (sccagri-
culture.org). **Santa Clara County Food System Assessment (caff.org/wp-content/
uploads/2015/03/Final_VersionASSESS_010814_sm.pdf).
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
JULY / AUGUST 2016
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