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Chico State

Annual Report Details Ag’s Economic Contribution

Professor Eric Houk teaches students in his class.
Jason Halley / University Photographer

Faculty Erik Houk (center) teaches in his Agribusiness Management class (ABUS 321), after being recognized for Outstanding Professor Award by the Faculty Recognition and Support Committee (FRAS) on Monday, February 18, 2019 in Chico, Calif. (Jason Halley/University Photographer/CSU Chico)

The Agribusiness Institute (ABI) at California State University, Chico has released its annual report detailing agriculture’s contributions to the regional economy of Northeastern California in 2017. The report shows that improved commodity prices and strong production levels helped boost agricultural production and farm income in the region after two years of decline from the peak in 2014.

One in five jobs and 16 cents of every dollar created by the Northeastern California economy was tied to agriculture in 2017, according to “The Contribution of Agriculture to Northeastern California’s Economy in 2017,” written by ABI Director Eric Houk, a professor of agricultural business in CSU, Chico’s College of Agriculture. The report covers economic activity in Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity and Yuba Counties.

The 13 counties in the study area produced $4.2 billion worth of agricultural products in 2017, which was up 6.9 percent from the previous year and 28 percent from 2008.  

“The Contribution of Agriculture to Northeastern California’s Economy in 2017” is supported by U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA) and the California State University Agricultural Research Institute.

The full report is available online at www.csuchico.edu/ag/about/agribusiness-institute.shtml. For more information, contact Eric Houk at 530-898-4146 or ehouk@csuchico.edu.