ACCORDING TO A NEW REPORT RELEASED MONDAY AGRICULTURE CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN 11,000 JOBS AND ALMOST 1.5 BILLION DOLLARS TO THE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY ECONOMY IN 2011. THE STUDY RELEASED BY COUNTY AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER MARY LOU NICOLETTI IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE COUNTY AND FOUND DESPITE RECESSIONS IN THE PAST DECADE THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR GREW 28 PERCENT. THE STUDY WAS BASED ON THE COUNTY’S 2011 CROP REPORT AND SHOWS THAT ALTHOUGH CROP DIVERSITY ENCOURAGES STABILITY, MORE AND MORE OF THE TOTAL VALUE IS ACCOUNTED FOR BY BERRIES.
