Drought Threatens America’s Top Farm Counties as California Agriculture Faces Water Crisis
https://climate-crisis-247-bucket.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/07204759/wr6zvjgij7e-150x150.jpgThe United States imports only about 15% of its total food supply – and much of the remainder is sourced from American farmers. Not only is domestic agriculture essential to keeping the country fed, it is also an economic pillar. Farms in the United States sold over $280.6 billion in crops alone in 2022, the most recent year of available data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
While different regions of the U.S. play important and often specialized roles in ensuring the national food supply, California stands out as a vital agricultural region. Over 15% of the total value of U.S. crop production in the U.S. in 2022 came from California farms. In fact, nine of the 10 most agriculturally productive counties nationwide – as measured by crop sales – are in California. California’s importance to American agriculture is attributable to its temperate climate, rich and diverse soils, long growing seasons, and ample sunshine.
However, the increasing frequency of natural disasters brought on by climate change pose a growing threat to agriculture in the state. Drought, in particular, is leading to water shortages across the state, raising crop production costs and reducing crop yields. Currently, drought and abnormally dry conditions are impacting large swaths of some of the most important farmland in both California and the country.
Using data from the USDA and the U.S. Drought Monitor, Climate Crisis 247 identified how drought is currently impacting the most productive farming counties in the United States. We reviewed drought data for each of the 10 U.S. counties where the total value of annual crop sales in 2022 exceeded $1.5 billion. Counties are ranked by the total value of annual crop sales, in ascending order. All supplemental data is from the USDA. Drought data is current as of August 19, 2025.
Among the 10 counties on this list, the total, combined value of annual crop sales was nearly $30 billion in 2022. Nine of these counties are in California and one is in Washington – and in each of these places, much of the local land area is currently experiencing abnormally dry or drought conditions.
10. Merced County, California
- Total market value of annual crop sales: $1.6 billion
- Total farmland in county: 872,326 acres (57.4% irrigated)
- Agricultural district: San Joaquin Valley
- Land area in county currently reporting abnormally dry conditions: 40.5%
- Land area in county currently reporting drought conditions: 59.3% moderate drought
9. Grant County, Washington
- Total market value of annual crop sales: $2.0 billion
- Total farmland in county: 1,014,389 acres (47.1% irrigated)
- Agricultural district: East Central
- Land area in county currently reporting abnormally dry conditions: 0.0%
- Land area in county currently reporting drought conditions: 25.4% moderate drought, 74.6% severe drought
8. Ventura County, California
- Total market value of annual crop sales: $2.1 billion
- Total farmland in county: 300,567 acres (32.0% irrigated)
- Agricultural district: Southern California
- Land area in county currently reporting abnormally dry conditions: 0.0%
- Land area in county currently reporting drought conditions: 3.9% moderate drought, 96.1% severe drought
7. San Joaquin County, California
- Total market value of annual crop sales: $2.1 billion
- Total farmland in county: 862,356 acres (65.7% irrigated)
- Agricultural district: San Joaquin Valley
- Land area in county currently reporting abnormally dry conditions: 79.4%
- Land area in county currently reporting drought conditions: 0.0%
6. Imperial County, California
- Total market value of annual crop sales: $2.2 billion
- Total farmland in county: 736,586 acres (84.7% irrigated)
- Agricultural district: Southern California
- Land area in county currently reporting abnormally dry conditions: 0.0%
- Land area in county currently reporting drought conditions: 18.6% severe drought, 77.8% extreme drought, 3.6% exceptional drought
5. Santa Barbara County, California
- Total market value of annual crop sales: $2.6 billion
- Total farmland in county: 621,663 acres (18.3% irrigated)
- Agricultural district: Southern California
- Land area in county currently reporting abnormally dry conditions: 24.9%
- Land area in county currently reporting drought conditions: 35.0% moderate drought, 40.1% severe drought
4. Tulare County, California
- Total market value of annual crop sales: $2.9 billion
- Total farmland in county: 1,310,768 acres (47.1% irrigated)
- Agricultural district: San Joaquin Valley
- Land area in county currently reporting abnormally dry conditions: 79.0%
- Land area in county currently reporting drought conditions: 21.0% moderate drought
3. Kern County, California
- Total market value of annual crop sales: $3.9 billion
- Total farmland in county: 2,399,512 acres (34.1% irrigated)
- Agricultural district: San Joaquin Valley
- Land area in county currently reporting abnormally dry conditions: 48.4%
- Land area in county currently reporting drought conditions: 50.3% moderate drought, 1.4% severe drought
2. Fresno County, California
- Total market value of annual crop sales: $5.1 billion
- Total farmland in county: 1,659,451 acres (59.4% irrigated)
- Agricultural district: San Joaquin Valley
- Land area in county currently reporting abnormally dry conditions: 61.6%
- Land area in county currently reporting drought conditions: 38.4% moderate drought
1. Monterey County, California
- Total market value of annual crop sales: $5.4 billion
- Total farmland in county: 1,338,477 acres (23.5% irrigated)
- Agricultural district: Central Coast
- Land area in county currently reporting abnormally dry conditions: 58.3%
- Land area in county currently reporting drought conditions: 0.2% moderate drought
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