The eight counties that make the San...

The eight counties that make the San Joaquin Valley the nation’s most valuable agricultural area reported record income from 1987 crops, a 10% increase to $8.9 billion. That is more than half the state’s anticipated crop value of about $16 billion and nearly as much as Iowa, which ranks second to California in the roster of farm states. Fresno, the leading farm county, had gross agricultural income of $2.3 billion, up 7%, followed by Tulare with $1.6 billion, up 14.8%; Kern, $1.4 billion, up 1%; Merced, $942.5 million, up 11.3%; Stanislaus, $881.3 million, up 11.4%; Kings, $640.1 million, up 17.3%, and Madera, $430.6 million, up 15.3%.