Drive through the Salinas Valley in almost any season and you’ll see it: mile after mile of lettuce, strawberries and broccoli, tended by crews working before sunrise to keep the nation’s produce aisles stocked. It’s easy to take for granted. It shouldn’t be.
Agriculture isn’t just part of the Monterey Bay region’s identity — it’s the backbone of its economy, generating well over $11 billion a year and supporting tens of thousands of local jobs, either directly on farms or through the packing houses, trucking companies, and equipment dealers that depend on them. Roughly one in every five jobs in Monterey County traces back to agriculture in some way.