Vegetable Crops

Jose Luis Aguiar, Vegetable Crops/Small Farm Advisor

UCCE Riverside County

81-077 Indio Blvd. Suite H, Indio, California 92201

Offcie: 760-342-2467 Fax: 760-342-6490
jlaguiar@ucdavis.edu

The 2010 Riverside County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office reports a gross valuation of $1,093,646,500. The gross value for Agricultural crops was $857,720,200, which is an increase of 7.1% from 2009. The Coachella Valley gross valuation was $533,846,400. These numbers do not reflect a measure of profit or loss; they are only used to report gross return only. These figures demonstrate the wide diversity of crops grown in Riverside County and promoting and protecting this industry is vital to all Californians.

The Farm Advisor consults with commercial producers (large and limited scale producers), Pest Control Advisors. The Farm Advisor identifies and prioritizes the research and educational needs of the industry. The Advisor provides educational programs and promotes practices applicable to improving production, harvesting or the marketing of vegetable crops of Coachella Valley growers, which is also of benefit to the California Vegetable Industry.

The Farm Advisor develops information on the main vegetable crops of the Coachella Valley. Insect and disease control through implementation of chemical and non-chemical approaches, organic and conventional production practices improve efficiency and sustainability. Farmers are aware that new pests and diseases are arriving in California and constantly threatening the Agricultural Industry.

Assisting the advisor are the Extension Specialists, other UC Advisors, local industry leaders and UC ANR. We work together to evaluate research results, production issues and economic problems affecting the vegetable production industry.

Moray, near Cusco, Peru: Incan site of agricultural experimentation. The Inca's experimented with various crops and microclimates here. The Inca's were excellent farmers and irrigation experts.