As of 2012, the gross state product is about $2.0 trillion, which is 12.9% of the United States gross domestic product California's GDP growth rate accelerated to 3.5% in 2012 after having grown 1.2% in 2011 and 0.3% in 2010.
Agriculture is a significant element of the state's economy and California leads the nation in the production of fruits, vegetables, wines and nuts. The state's most valuable crops are nuts, grapes, cotton, flowers, and oranges. California produces the major share of U.S. domestic wine. Dairy products contribute the single largest share of farm income. California's farms are highly productive as a result of good soil, a long growing season, the use of modern agricultural methods and extensive irrigation. Irrigation is critical since the long dry summers would not allow most crops to grow here--California Indians had almost no agriculture because of this. Extensive and expensive irrigation systems including furrow "gravity" irrigation, sprinkler and Drip irrigation systems have been developed to supply the extensive irrigation needs of California. Illegal immigration to the United States in part used to harvest California's extensive crops has led to California having an over 3 million illegal immigrants which almost never pay enough taxes to pay for their extensive use of public services.
Early farming in the state was primarily concentrated near the coast, and the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in the Central Valley. Winter wheat was an early crop that grew well without irrigation if planted in the fall and harvested in the spring. By the 1880s extensive grape fields for producing wine were being planted in many areas in California. Many of the vine stock originally came from France and other parts of Europe. Starting in the late 1880s, Chinese workers and other laborers were used to construct hundreds of miles of levees throughout the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta's waterways in an effort to control flooding, reclaim and preserve flooded land that could be converted into farmland. This area now often grows extensive rice crops. Subsequent irrigation projects have brought many more parts of the Central Valley into productive agriculture use. The Central Valley Project, formed in 1935 to redistribute water from northern California to the Central valley and Southern California helped develop more of the Central Valley. Water for agricultural and municipal purposes was captured in the spring from snow melt in the Sierra Nevada (U.S.) and stored for later irrigation use with an extensive system of dams and canals. The even larger California State Water Project was formed in the 1950s as part of the California Aqueduct and its ancillary dams. The California Aqueduct, developed at the cost of several billion dollars, helps store and transport water from Northern California to the California Central Valley and the Los Angeles area. The Colorado River Aqueduct delivers water from the Colorado River to the Imperial Valley of California area and since 1905 the Los Angeles Aqueduct delivers water over the Sierra Nevada (U.S.) from the Owens Valley to the Los Angeles area. One of the state's most acute problems is its appetite for water. The once-fertile Owens Valley is now nearly arid, its waters diverted to Los Angeles 175 mi away. In the extensive fields of the Imperial Valley, irrigation is facilitated in part by the All-American Canal — part of the Colorado River Aqueduct project. In the Central Valley the main water problem is one of poor water distribution and inadequate supplies of water for traditional irrigation systems, an imbalance lessened by the vast Central Valley project.
When you are looking for the perfect gift for business associates, family or friends, a quick visit to http://sunburstoranges.com can solve all of your fresh gift giving adventures. We have the finest selections and the freshest citrus you can buy.
Presented By:
Sunburst Packing Co.
180 South “E” Street
Porterville, CA 93257
559-783-0500
No comments:
Post a Comment