This U.S. State Produces 11.5% of America’s Food

Agriculture is a major industry in the United States. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, farm and ranch families comprise less than 2% of the country’s population. But on average, each farm feeds 169 people a year both in the U.S. and abroad, highlighting the importance of farm and agricultural commodities. However, as President Donald Trump’s administration levied a 145% tariff against China, and was hit with a 125% tariff in response, farmers are becoming increasingly worried about the impact of the trade war on their products. The American Farm Bureau Federation states that 40% of food grown and produced in the United States is never eaten. With labor hardships and the destruction of trade relationships, farmers are concerned that their products will go to waste — and that families will struggle. John Pihl, a Northern Illinois farmer, has even said, “Mexico is our biggest importer of corn. But this time, they may figure out that they can get corn from South America just as easily as from the U.S.” (Here are the 12 biggest factors causing egg prices to soar.)

Illinois, where Pihl is farming, is known for its corn and soybean crops — both of which are going to be significantly affected by the trade war, especially considering that China is the largest importer of soybeans worldwide. But what other crops and farm commodities are being grown, produced, cultivated, and sold across the United States? Here, 24/7 Wall St. put together a comprehensive list of each state’s cash receipts by commodity to see which states are producing the most food in America. To do so, we used 2023 receipt data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service. This is the most up-to-date data available at the time of writing. We excluded Alaska, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Hawaii, and Connecticut from the list as each state contributed 0.1% or less. However, if you’d like to learn more about those states specifically, you can head to the data to check it out. Supplemental information on major commodities came from several sources, including state agricultural departments and farm bureaus. 

This previously published article was updated on April 14, 2025 to highlight the impact of the burgeoning trade war on U.S. farmers. 

Why Conversations Around Food are More Important Than Ever

Food is life. And agriculture is the central force behind the food we eat, products we buy, and lives we sustain. With the ongoing trade war, as well as other factors like the devastation of bird flu and a lack of labor forces considering migrant worker fears of deportation, the agricultural industry in the U.S. is currently in an incredibly precarious position. Understanding where food is being produced across the country, and what commodities may be at risk, can help you prepare for a possible recession or stock up on food that may not be as easily accessible in the coming months to years. It also gives you a jumping off point to understand farming in your state — and perhaps motivate you to learn ways to support agricultural development. 

Check out the top farm commodity-producing states across the U.S.: 

44. Maine

• Annual Production: $872.6 million
• Percent of US total: 0.2%
• Major commodities: Potatoes, dairy, eggs, blueberries

43. Vermont

• Annual Production: $931 million
• Percent of US total: 0.2%
• Major commodities: Dairy, cattle/calves, maple syrup, apples

42. West Virginia

• Annual Production: $974.46 million
• Percent of US total: 0.2%
• Major commodities: Cattle, broiler chickens, soybeans, apples

41. Nevada

• Annual Production: $986.6 million
• Percent of US total: 0.2%
• Major commodities: Hay (alfalfa), potatoes, barley, wheat, oats

40. New Jersey

• Annual Production: $1.6 billion
• Percent of US total: 0.3%
• Major commodities: Blueberries, peaches, peppers, tomatoes, soybeans, asparagus

39. Delaware

• Annual Production: $1.84 billion 
• Percent of US total: 0.4%
• Major commodities: Broilers, corn, wheat, peas, grapes, dairy

38. Wyoming

• Annual Production: $2.1 billion 
• Percent of US total: 0.4%
• Major commodities: Cattle, beef, sugar beets, hay, livestock

37. Utah

• Annual Production: $2.45 billion 
• Percent of US total: 0.5%
• Major commodities: Alfalfa hay, barley, cattle, cherries

36. Maryland

• Annual Production: $2.93 billion 
• Percent of US total: 0.6%
• Major commodities: Broilers, corn, soybeans, dairy, grains, watermelon, floriculture

35. South Carolina

• Annual Production: $3.37 billion 
• Percent of US total: 0.7%
• Major commodities: Broilers, turkeys, corn, cotton, cattle, soybeans, peanuts

34. New Mexico

• Annual Production: $3.98 billion 
• Percent of US total: 0.8%
• Major commodities: Chili peppers, cattle, cotton, milk, pecans, onions

33. Louisiana

• Annual Production: $4.19 billion 
• Percent of US total: 0.8%
• Major commodities: Sugarcane, cotton, soybeans, broilers, corn, rice, cattle

32. Virginia

• Annual Production: $4.76 billion 
• Percent of US total: 0.9%
• Major commodities: Broilers, cattle/calves, miscellaneous crops, turkeys, dairy, corn, soybeans

31. Montana

• Annual Production: $4.96 billion 
• Percent of US total: 1%
• Major commodities: Cattle, wheat, hay, barley, lentils, sugar beets

30. Tennessee

• Annual Production: $5.23 billion 
• Percent of US total: 1%
• Major commodities: Soybeans, cattle, broilers, corn, wheat, hay, miscellaneous crops

29. Arizona

• Annual Production: $5.24 billion 
• Percent of US total: 1%
• Major commodities: Cattle and calves, dairy, lettuce, hay, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, dates

28. Oregon

• Annual Production: $6.5 billion 
• Percent of US total: 1.3%
• Major commodities: Miscellaneous crops, hazelnut, grass seed, cattle, dairy, hay

27. New York

• Annual Production: $7.09 billion 
• Percent of US total: 1.4%
• Major commodities: Dairy, corn, cattle, apples, floriculture, eggs, soybeans, hay

26. Mississippi

• Annual Production: $7.31 billion 
• Percent of US total: 1.4%
• Major commodities: Poultry, forestry, catfish, miscellaneous crops, corn, cotton

25. Alabama

• Annual Production: $7.95 billion 
• Percent of US total: 1.5%
• Major commodities: Broilers, cattle, eggs, miscellaneous crops, cotton, corn, soybeans, peanuts, catfish

24. Kentucky

• Annual Production: $8.05 billion 
• Percent of US total: 1.6%
• Major commodities: Poultry, horses, hay, soybeans, cattle, corn

23. Pennsylvania

• Annual Production: $8.58 billion 
• Percent of US total: 1.7%
• Major commodities: Dairy, eggs, livestock, mushrooms, corn

22. Oklahoma

• Annual Production: $8.63 billion 
• Percent of US total: 1.7%
• Major commodities: Cattle, hogs, broilers, wheat, miscellaneous crops, hay, corn, dairy, peanuts

21. Florida

• Annual Production: $9.23 billion 
• Percent of US total: 1.8%
• Major commodities: Oranges, floriculture, sugarcane, cattle, tomatoes, dairy, strawberries

20. Colorado

• Annual Production: $9.24 billion 
• Percent of US total: 1.8%
• Major commodities: Cattle and calves, sheep, hogs, dairy, corn, proso millet

19. Idaho

• Annual Production: $10.87 billion 
• Percent of US total: 2.1%
• Major commodities: Dairy, cattle, potatoes, barley, wheat, mint

18. Michigan

• Annual Production: $11.29 billion 
• Percent of US total: 2.2%
• Major commodities: Dairy, corn, soybeans, miscellaneous crops, cattle, eggs, floriculture, hogs, apples

17. North Dakota

• Annual Production: $11.8 billion 
• Percent of US total: 2.3%
• Major commodities: Soybeans, wheat, corn, cattle, canola, sugar beets, dry beans, sunflowers, potatoes

16. Washington

• Annual Production: $11.89 billion 
• Percent of US total: 2.3%
• Major commodities: Cattle, apples, dairy, potatoes, wheat, hay, eggs, hops, onions

15. Georgia

• Annual Production: $12.46 billion 
• Percent of US total: 2.4%
• Major commodities: Peaches, pecans, broilers, cotton, blueberries, spring onions, corn

14. Arkansas

• Annual Production: $13.14 billion 
• Percent of US total: 2.5%
• Major commodities: Broilers, soybeans, rice, eggs, corn, cattle, cotton, turkeys, miscellaneous crops

13. South Dakota

• Annual Production: $13.55 billion 
• Percent of US total: 2.6%
• Major commodities: Corn, cattle, soybeans, hogs, dairy, wheat, hay, sunflower, miscellaneous crops

12. Ohio

• Annual Production: $13.74 billion 
• Percent of US total: 2.7%
• Major commodities: Soybeans, corn, chicken eggs, dairy, hogs, cattle, miscellaneous crops

11. Missouri

• Annual Production: $15.42 billion 
• Percent of US total: 3%
• Major commodities: Soybeans, cattle, corn, hogs, broilers, eggs, rice

10. Wisconsin

• Annual Production: $15.45 billion 
• Percent of US total: 3%
• Major commodities: Dairy, cattle, corn, soybeans, potatoes, eggs, cranberries, ginseng

9. North Carolina

• Annual Production: $15.62 billion 
• Percent of US total: 3%
• Major commodities: Broilers, hogs, turkeys, sweet potatoes, dry beans, eggs, corn, tobacco, cotton

8. Indiana

• Annual Production: $16.6 billion 
• Percent of US total: 3.2%
• Major commodities: Corn, soybeans, eggs, hogs, milk, turkeys, cattle, miscellaneous crops

7. Kansas

• Annual Production: $23.08 billion 
• Percent of US total: 4.5%
• Major commodities: Wheat, dairy, sorghum, hogs, hay, miscellaneous crops, eggs

6. Minnesota

• Annual Production: $24.8 billion 
• Percent of US total: 4.8%
• Major commodities: Corn, soybeans, hogs, cattle, dairy, turkeys, sugar beets, wheat

5. Illinois

• Annual Production: $26.48 billion 
• Percent of US total: 5.1%
• Major commodities: Corn, soybeans, hogs, cattle, miscellaneous crops, wheat, dairy, eggs, floriculture

4. Texas

• Annual Production: $29.85 billion 
• Percent of US total: 5.8%
• Major commodities: Cattle, broilers, dairy, miscellaneous crops, corn, cotton, eggs, hay, wheat

3. Nebraska

• Annual Production: $31.25 billion 
• Percent of US total: 6%
• Major commodities: Cattle, corn, soybeans, hogs, broilers, eggs, hay, miscellaneous crops, dairy, wheat

2. Iowa

• Annual Production: $38.75 billion 
• Percent of US total: 7.5%
• Major commodities: Corn, hogs, soybeans, cattle, eggs, dairy, turkeys, hay

1. California

• Annual Production: $59.38 billion 
• Percent of US total: 11.5%
• Major commodities: Dairy, grapes, miscellaneous crops, cattle, lettuce, almonds, pistachios, strawberries, tomatoes, carrots, broilers, rice, floriculture, broccoli, hay, oranges, tangerines, eggs, walnuts

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