San Mateo County agriculture hits six-year high as flowers and potted plants drive $116 million year
San Mateo County, California – San Mateo County’s agricultural rebound is being driven less by sprawling fields than by greenhouses filled with flowers and potted plants. In 2025, those crops helped push local agricultural production to its strongest level in six years.
The county’s total agricultural value reached about $116 million, up 9.3 percent from 2024 and the highest figure since 2019, according to the 2025 Agricultural Crop Report accepted Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors.
Floral and nursery crops dominated the year. Their value climbed from $60.8 million in 2024 to nearly $71 million in 2025, representing roughly 61 percent of all agricultural production in the county.
“Many people don’t realize just how important nursery crops are to agriculture in San Mateo County,” Agricultural Commissioner Koren Widdel said.
“They’re a big part of our economy.”
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Vegetables ranked a distant second at $28.1 million. Among individual crops, Brussels sprouts remained the county’s most valuable reported vegetable, producing 3,179 tons worth $6.3 million. Production per acre fell 21 percent, however, partly because of damage from the diamondback moth.
Pumpkin production moved in the opposite direction. Growers harvested 1,058 tons, up from 913 tons a year earlier, while their value increased from $1.4 million to $1.8 million.
Organic agriculture also recorded a sharp gain. Eighteen registered producers farmed about 470 acres, generating $18.3 million in production. Organic acreage increased 4 percent, while its total value jumped 33 percent from 2024.
Other products highlighted in the report included 45,000 pounds of honey worth more than $500,000 and 171 acres of red and white wine grapes valued at about $2.1 million.
The broader trend has been steadily upward. Agricultural production has risen about 26 percent since falling to $92 million in 2022, with gains recorded in each year since. The current total, however, remains far below the $196 million reported in 1995.
“We’ve seen the value of agricultural production grow for three years in a row,” Widdel said. “That’s encouraging news. We’re an urban county, but we still have growers producing everything from Brussels sprouts and pumpkins to poinsettias. We have a bit of everything right here.”
A separate county study released in 2024 estimated that agriculture contributes about $223 million to the local economy and supports more than 1,900 jobs.
