RSS FeedsAgricultural Resources
For the analysis of agricultural resources, the County was divided into 11 evaluation areas (totaling approximately 485,000 acres). Within these areas, approximately 51,000 acres are active agricultural land, containing primarily vineyards with smaller areas of crops and orchards. Approximately 53,800 acres are grazing land. (Napa County 2005) Agriculture is the leading source of revenue for Napa County. Wine grapes alone, produced in 2004, were valued at $350 million, and total agriculture in 2004 was valued at $357 million.
 Winery & vneyards |
The greatest and most obvious trend in Napa County is the conversion of Farmland of Local Importance, Grazing Land, and Other Land to Irrigated Farmland. This conversion has taken place on parcels ranging in size from 10 acres to 260 acres. Between 2000 and 2002, approximately 8,385 acres were converted from Farmland of Local Importance, Grazing Land, and Other Land to Irrigated Farmland. This conversion of agricultural land from one type to another is mostly due to the conversion of lower economic value grazing lands or orchards into higher value vineyards.
According to the Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program (FMMP), the 11 evaluation areas examined all show their own unique trends concerning land use conversion between 1992 and 2002. For example, in the Lower Napa Valley, Angwin area, eastern mountains area, and central interior valley, urban and built-up lands have steadily increased over the years. Other areas, like the western mountains, pope valley, and Berryessa areas, have remained constant or decreased their urban and built-up lands. Urban and built-up lands are defined by the FMMP as “land occupied by structures with a building density of at least 1 unit to 1.5 acres, or approximately 6 structures to a 10-acre parcel. This land is used for residential, industrial, commercial, construction, institutional, public administration, railroad and other transportation yards, cemeteries, airports, golf courses, sanitary landfills, sewage treatment, water control structures, and other developed purposes.” (Note: FMMP produces maps and statistical data used for analyzing impacts on California’s agricultural resources. Agricultural land is rated according to soil quality and irrigation status; the best quality land is called Prime Farmland. The maps are updated every 2 years with the use of aerial photographs, a computer mapping system, public review, and field reconnaissance. For more information, visit the Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program from the California Division of Land Resource Protection.
The acreage of grazing land has decreased in the majority of the evaluation areas. Acreage of Prime Farmland has increased overall in the Lower Napa Valley, Napa Valley floor, Pope Valley, and central interior valleys. Overall acreage of Prime Farmland has decreased in the Livermore Ranch area, Angwin area, eastern mountains, southern interior valleys, and Knoxville area. The acreage of Prime Farmland in the western mountains and the eastern mountains has fluctuated.
Napa County’s 11 evaluation areas currently have a total of 51,230 acres of potential cropland; 86,688 acres of other potentially productive soils; 135,969 acres of potential rangeland (or grazing land); and 40,542 acres of potential timberland (all numbers approximate).
