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The value of agricultural production in Washington last year totaled $9.49 billion, a 2% decrease from 2018 numbers. According to NASS apples remain the leading agricultural commodity in the state accounting for $1.96 billion last year, an 8% year over year drop.

Apples represented 21% of the total agricultural value in 2019; while apples were 22% of the 2018 total.

Milk remained the #2 commodity in the state, accounting for $1.28 billion dollars in 2019, up 13% from 2018. All Potato value of production moved up one position to the new #3 spot. Potato value in 2019 was $934 million, up 19% from the previous year.

All Wheat, valued at $793 million, represented the fourth highest value in the State. This was a 6 percent decrease from the previous year. Cattle and calves rounded out the top five with a value of $699 million, up 7% from the previous year.

These five commodities had a combined value of $5.67 billion, or 60% of the 2019 value for all commodities (excluding government payments). The same five commodities in 2018 had a combined value of $5.56 billion, 57% of the total value. Record high values of production were established for potatoes and hops. Value of hop production in 2019 was $476 million, up 11% from the previous year and 4% higher than the previous record set in 2017.

Onion value of production entered the top ten, with a value of $181 million in 2019, an increase of 2% from the previous year.

NASS said there were notable commodities outside the top ten that showed significant growth between 2018 and 2019:

  • The value of blueberries reached a record high value of $153 million in 2019, up 10% from the previous year and 4% higher than the previous record in 2015.
  • Barley value of production increased 39% to $29.9 million last year.
  • The value of canola, at $22.3 million, increased for the fourth consecutive year.

Five of the top ten commodities declined in value from the previous year, including apples, wheat, hay, sweet cherries, and grapes. Other notable commodities that declined in value in 2019 were eggs, down 30% to $168 million, and all pears, down 31% to $145 million.


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