Characterizing U.S. Fruit

and Vegetable Production

Daniel Pick, Chief&

Agnes Perez, Agricultural Economist

Specialty Crops and Fibers Branch

The Fruit and Vegetable Industry

n Census of Agriculture reports area and

production for over 100 fruit and vegetable

commodities or groups of commodities.

n Some are annuals and some are perennials.

n Some grown for direct consumption, such as

fresh-market apples, grapes, and tomatoes,

while others for processing into products

such as orange juice, tomato sauce, and

frozen sweet corn.

U.S. Farm Cash Receipts for Crops

7%

23%

6%

16%

30%

18%

Food grains Feed crops

Cotton & tobacco Oil crops

Fruit & vegetables Other crops

Source: USDA, Economic Research Service, Farm Income and Costs Briefing Room.

9%

24%

10%16%

26%

15%

Food grains Feed crops

Cotton & tobacco Oil crops

Fruit & vegetables Other crops

1990-92 2003-05

Vegetable Crops With Highest

Farm Cash Receipts

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0

Dry Beans

Carrots

Broccoli

All peppers

Sweet corn

Onions

Mushrooms

Tomatoes

Lettuce

Potatoes

1990-94

1995-99

2000-05

Billion $

Source: Economic Research Service, USDA.

Average

Fruit and Tree Nut Crops With

Highest Farm Cash Receipts

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0

Pecans

Grapefruit

Walnuts

Cherries

Peaches

Strawberries

Almonds

Apples

Oranges

Grapes

1990-94

1995-99

2000-05

Billion $

Source: Economic Research Service, USDA.

Average

Factors driving the upward trend in

U.S. fruit and vegetable production

over the last 50 years

n Improvements in production

management and technology

n Growth in domestic consumption

n Expansion in export sales

Number of Fruit and Vegetable

Farms in the United States

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

Pulses Potatoes* Vegetables** Tree fruit Berries

1987 1992 1997 2002

Source: 2002 Census of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

* Includes sweet potatoes.** Includes dried herbs.

Harvested Acres of U.S. Fruit and

Vegetable Farms

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

Pulses Potatoes* Land used

for

vegetables**

Land in

orchards

Berries

1987 1992 1997 2002

Million acres

* Includes sweet potatoes.** Includes dried herbs.

Source: Census of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

Growth in U.S. Fruit and Vegetable

Production Slows in Recent Years

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

vegetables fruit and nuts

1,000 short tons

Sources: Citrus Fruits Summary, Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts Summary, Vegetables,Crop Production, and Mushrooms, National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

Factors slowing production

growth:

n Weather and disease problems

n Global competition

n Competition with urban land

development

Average U.S. Consumption of

Fruits and Vegetables

0100

200300400

500600700800

1975

-79

1980

-84

1985

-89

1990

-94

1995

-99

2000

-05

fruit & nuts vegetables*

Pounds per person, farm-weight

*Melons, dry peas & lentils, dry beans, and mushrooms are included.Source: Calculated by Economic Research Service, USDA.

U.S. Per Capita Consumption

of Vegetables and Melons

Fresh--39.1%

All potatoes--29.8%

Canning--22.7%

Freezing--4.8%

Pulses--1.6% Sweet potatoes--1.0%

Mushrooms--0.9%

*Average product share 2002-2006.Source: Calculated by Economic Research Service, USDA.

Harvested Acres in the U.S.

Vegetable and Melon Industry

0200400600800

1,0001,2001,4001,6001,800

Fresh-market

Processing

Potatoes

Dry beans

Melons

1992-94 2004-06

1,000 acres

Source: Vegetables and Crop Production, National AgriculturalStatistics Service, USDA.

Harvested Area for Select Fresh-

Market Vegetables and Melons

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Swee

t cor

nHea

d le

ttuce

Onion

sLe

af/R

omai

ne

Wat

erm

elon

Brocc

oli

Tom

atoe

sCan

talo

upe

Carro

tsCab

bage

1995

2005

1,000 acres

Source: Vegetables Annual Summary, National Agricultural StatisticsService, USDA.

Harvested Acres of Select

Processing Vegetables

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Swee

t cor

n

Tom

atoe

sG

reen

pea

sSna

p be

ans

Cuc

umbe

rs

Car

rots

1995

2005

1,000 acres

Source: Vegetables Summary, National Agricultural StatisticsService, USDA.

Fresh Vegetable Production

Increasing Slowly*

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

1,000 Shorttons

*Fresh output includes melons; Both fresh and processing excludespotatoes, sweet potatoes, pulses, and mushrooms.Source: Vegetables, National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

FreshProcessing

Production of Select Fresh-Market

Vegetables and Melons

010,00020,00030,00040,00050,00060,00070,00080,000

Onions

Head lettu

ce

Tomato

es

Leaf/Rom

aine

Wate

rmelo

n

Sweet corn

Cabbage

Carrots

Cantalo

upe

Broccoli

1995

2005

1,000 cwt

Source: Vegetables Annual Summary, National Agricultural StatisticsService, USDA.

Production of Select Processing

Vegetables

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

Tom

atoe

s

Sw

eet co

rn

Sna

p be

ans

Cuc

umbe

rs

Gre

en p

eas

Car

rots

1995

2005

1,000 short tons

Source: Vegetables Summary, National Agricultural StatisticsService, USDA.

Land Used for Vegetables, 2002

Source: Prepared by USDA, Economic Research Service using data fromUSDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2002 Census of Agriculture.

Share of Hired Workers in U.S.

Vegetable and Melon Farms: Top 10

States*

26.3

11.4

6.4 5.0 4.0 3.9 3.8 3.7 3.4 3.0

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Cal

iforn

ia

Florida

Was

hing

ton

Idah

o

Arizo

na

Mic

higa

n

Ore

gon

Geo

rgia

New

York

Col

orad

o

Percent

* Combined share accounted for 71 percent of total in 2002. Source: Calculated by USDA, Economic Research Service using data from 2002 Census of Agriculture, USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Hired Versus Contract Labor As A

Share of Wages in U.S. Vegetable and

Melon Farms*

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Cal

iforn

ia

Florida

Ariz

ona

Was

hingto

n

Idah

o

Georg

ia

Ore

gon

New

York

Mic

higan

Colo

rado

Hired Contract

Percent

*Top 10 States accounted for 81 percent of total wages in 2002.Source: Calculated by USDA, Economic Research Service using data from2002 Census of Agriculture, USDA, National Agricultural StatisticsService.

U.S. Per Capita Fruit and Tree

Nuts Consumption*

Juice--42%

Fresh--35%

Wine--11%

Canned--6% Dried--3%

Frozen--2%Tree nuts--1%

*Average product share 2001-05.Source: Calculated by Economic Research Service, USDA.

U.S. Fruit Production in Declines

in Recent Years

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

14.0

16.0

18.0

20.0

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006P

Mil. tonsNoncitrus

Citrus

P = Preliminary.Source: Citrus Fruit Summary and Noncitrus Fruit and Nuts Summary, National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

Fruit and Tree Nuts Bearing

Acreage

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

19901992

19941996

19982000

20022004

2006 P

1,000 acres

Noncitrus

Citrus

Tree nuts

P = preliminary.Source: Citrus Fruits Summary and Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts Summary,National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

Product Composition of U.S.

Noncitrus Fruit Production*

39%

25%

12%

9%

9% 4% 2%

Fresh Wine Dried Juice

Canned Frozen Other

* Based on 2005 utilized production of 18,299,000 short tons, fresh-equivalent.Source: Noncitrus Fruit and Nuts Summary, National Agricultural StatisticsService, USDA.

Composition of Major U.S.

Citrus Fruit Production

0 20 40 60 80 100

Lemons

Grapefruit

Oranges

Total citrus

Processed

Fresh

Percent

Source: Citrus Fruit Summary, National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

U.S. Land in Orchards, 2002

Source: Prepared by USDA, Economic Research Service using data fromUSDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2002 Census of Agriculture.

U.S. Berry Acres, 2002

Source: Prepared by USDA, Economic Research Service using data fromUSDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2002 Census of Agriculture.

Share of Hired Workers in U.S. Fruit

and Tree Nut Farms: Top 5 States*

46.6

26.8

6.43.0 2.9

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

California Washington Oregon Florida Michigan

Percent

* Combined share accounted for 86 percent of total in 2002. Source: Calculated by USDA, Economic Research Service using data from 2002 Census of Agriculture, USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Hired Versus Contract Labor As A

Share of Wages in U.S. Fruit and Tree

Nut Farms*

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

California Washington Florida Oregon Hawaii

Hired Contract

Percent

*Top 5 States accounted for 89 percent of total wages in 2002. Source: Calculated by USDA, Economic Research Service using data from2002 Census of Agriculture, USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Change In Bearing Acreage of

Select U.S. Fruit and Tree Nuts

0100

200300400500

600700800

9001,000

Grapes

Oranges

Apples

Peaches

GrapefruitPears

Sweet cherrie

s

Strawberrie

s

Cranberries

Avocados*

Almonds

Walnuts

Pistachios

1996 2006P

1,000 acres

P = preliminary.* Most recent year is 2005.Source: Citrus Fruit Summary and Noncitrus Fruit and Nuts Summary,National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

U.S. Tree Nut Production Grows

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

1.6

1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006P

Mil. tons, in-shell basis

P = Preliminary.Source: Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts Summary, National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

U.S. Strawberry Production*

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006P

Million pounds

* Average rate of growth relatively steady at over 4.0 percent.

P=preliminary.Source: Noncitrus Fruit and Nuts Summary, NASS, USDA.

U.S. Production of Other Berries

Also Expanding

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006P

Million pounds

Blueberries

Raspberries

Blackberries

Cranberries

*2.41.58.56.12000s

1.06.93.14.51990s

BlackberriesCranberriesRaspberriesBlueberriesPeriod

Average rate of increase in production (percent)

P=Preliminary.Source: Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts Summary, NASS, USDA.

U.S. Fruit and Vegetable Trade*

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000

1990 1993 1996 1999 2002 2005

Imports Exports

Million dollars

*Excludes wine, essential oils, malt beverages, cut flowers, and nursery stock.Source: Prepared by USDA, Economic Research Service using data from U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau.

Import share of total domestic fruit and

vegetable disappearance*

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

19901992

19941996

19982000

20022004

Fruit & tree nuts All vegetables

Percent

*Fresh and processing. Vegetables includes melons and fruit includes bananasand olives.Source: USDA, Economic Research Service.

Imports share of total domestic fresh

fruit and vegetable disappearance

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004

Vegetables Fruit Fruit, without bananas

Percent

Source: USDA, Economic Research Service.