New Economic Study Released: San Luis Obispo agriculture contributes $3.4 billion to the local economy
Author: David Aguayo, Asst. Agricultural Commissioner / Sealer
Date: 8/19/2026 5:00 PM
San Luis Obispo County’s agricultural and livestock sectors generated $3.4 billion in economic activity in 2024, according to a newly released economic study announced today by Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer Martin Settevendemie. The report highlights agriculture’s significant role in the region, reaffirming its position as one of the county’s most influential industries.
San Luis Obispo County’s agricultural and livestock sectors generated a total of $3.4 billion in economic activity in 2024, according to a newly released economic study announced today by Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer, Martin Settevendemie. The report outlines agriculture’s economic importance in the region, confirming its place among the county’s most influential industries.
“Agriculture contributes far more to our community than what we capture in the annual crop report,” Settevendemie said. “This report illustrates agriculture’s significant influence on our economy and the daily lives of our residents. It examines agriculture’s economic reach—from on-farm production to processing and support services—and the ripple effects those activities create throughout our local economy.”
The study finds that agricultural activity injects $9.3 million into the county’s economy every day, which breaks down to more than $390,000 each hour and about $6,500 per minute.
Highlights from the report include:
• Total agricultural output of $3.4 billion reflects a 34.3% increase from the 2019 economic report.
• Direct agricultural output from production and processing reached over $2.3 billion, representing 6.1% of San Luis Obispo County’s total economy. Multiplier effects driven by business and employee spending added over $1 billion more to that figure.
• Agricultural employment totaled 19,177 positions. Of these, 12,015 jobs were directly tied to agricultural production and processing, while the remainder resulted from multiplier effects. This marks a 43.2% increase over what was reported in the county’s 2019 economic report.
• After adjusting for inflation, agricultural production value has increased $189.3 million over the last decade, a growth rate of 22.6%.
• The diversity of local agriculture continues to strengthen. Using a recognized diversity index, the study shows the highest score recorded in ten years, indicating a broad and resilient agricultural economy.
This report was prepared by Dr. Jeff Langholz and Dr. Fernando DePaolis of Agricultural Impact Associates LLC. The 2024 analysis provides updated economic trends and comparisons highlighting the importance of agricultural to the county.
The Department of Agriculture has released the full report, titled “Economic Contributions of San Luis Obispo County Agriculture & Livestock”. It is now available for public review on the Department’s website Document Library.
