Which foods does your state actually grow? (2024)

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ALABAMA: Peanuts

Alabama ranks third in the United States for peanut production, and over 200,000 acres of farmland are allocated to growing peanuts in the southern part of the state.

ALASKA: Potatoes

According to the Alaskan division of agriculture, potatoes are one of the most valuable crops grown on farms in Alaska, and they draw over 3 million dollars in net value every year.

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ARIZONA: Lettuce

Lettuce is grown in a lot of states throughout the United States, but lettuce production dominates in California and Arizona. Both states produce 98 percent of leaf lettuce in the country, according to the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, and Arizona produced nearly 30 percent of that in 2014.

ARKANSAS: Rice

Arkansas accounts for nearly half of the country's rice production, and in 2018, rice producers in the state harvested 1,422,000 acres of the crop. According to the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, the 2018 average yield of 166.7 bushels per acre (7,500 lbs per acre) was the third highest on recordfor the state.

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CALIFORNIA: Grapes

Though California leads in lettuce production (alongside Arizona), it's also one of the country's biggest sources for grapes. In 2017, the CFDA reported that the state harvested 880,000 acresof the fruit — and 599,000 of those were for wine.

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COLORADO: Sugar beet

Though sugar beet profitability dipped in the middle of the 19th century, the crop has always been a staple of Colorado farming. And now, due to research studies and improvements, the sugar beet industry is on the upswing.

"We have made great strides," a sugar beet farmer said to USA Today. "We have been on this exact farm for more than 50 years and things have changed a lot."

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CONNECTICUT: Apples

Apples are a huge industry in Connecticut, and the state produced over 29,000,000 lbs of the crop last year, according to the USDA. Connecticut is also a producer of hay, maple syrup, and corn.

DELAWARE: Watermelon

Delaware made over $10,000,000 in profit from watermelon production alone last year. The crop thrives in the state thanks to its "sandy, well-drained soil" and "hot temperatures of July and August," as watermelon grows best in desert-like conditions.

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FLORIDA: Oranges

Florida is known for its oranges, so it's no surprise that the state leads the country's production of that citrus fruit — and citrus fruit in general. More than 90 percent of America's orange juice is made from Florida's oranges, and the state is also the world's leading producer of grapefruit.

GEORGIA: Blueberries

Blueberries are just one of many fruits and vegetables that Georgia grows — others include sweet corn, soybeans, peppers, cabbage, squash, etc. But blueberry production is especially booming in the state, with over 60 million lbs of the fruit produced on Georgia farms in 2017.

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HAWAII: Macadamia nuts

As of 2018, macadamia nut production in Hawaii is rapidly growing: the state's "utilized macadamia nut production increased by 17 percent from last year to 49 million pounds," according to US News. It's likely that this increase is due to Hawaii's acreage devoted to farming the nut, as well as a higher demand for macadamia nuts around the country and world.

IDAHO: Potatoes

When you hear the word Idaho, chances are you'll think potato. And rightfully so — the state is a consistent top producer of the versatile vegetable, generating $974,966,000 in production value in 2017.

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ILLINOIS: Pumpkins

Morton, Illinois, calls itself the "Pumpkin Capital of the World," and over 100,000 tons of pumpkins are grown, produced, and canned there every year.

INDIANA: Tomatoes

In addition to growing corn and soybeans, Indiana is the second largest producer of tomatoes for processing in the country. And this is fitting, as Alexandria, Indiana, is home to Red Gold, a tomato processing magnate in the US.

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IOWA: Soybeans

Though Iowa is a producer of oats and wheat, it's also a huge grower of soybeans. Around 10 million acres are devoted to growing the bean, and upwards of 500 million bushels were harvested in past years.

KANSAS: Wheat

Ever wonder where the wheat that makes, well, all your bread comes from? Chances are, if you're in the US, it's Kansas. During winter production of the crop in 2017, Kansas produced 333,600,000 bushels, making it the top producer in the country.

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KENTUCKY: Corn

Kentucky broke records on their corn production in 2017: the state's farms yielded a new high of 178 bushels per acre.

LOUISIANA: Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes thrive in Louisiana, and growers recently introduced a new variety of the vegetable to their farms. In August 2018, farmers in the state started to plant a type of sweet potato with "showy, bright red skin that maintains its sheen through harvest and yields well in different soil types," called LA 13-81.

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MAINE: Potatoes

Corn, hay, and broccoli all grow in Maine, but the state's top crop is the potato. The Maine Farm Bureau also adds that "apples are Maine’s most valuable fruit crop, but Maine is also a leading producer of wild blueberries."

MARYLAND: Spinach

Maryland grows a lot of crops, from sweet corn to apples to peaches and barley. But one you might not expect is spinach: the state itself consumes about 15 million lbs of the leafy vegetable annually.

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MASSACHUSETTS: Cranberries

Massachusetts has been having what Boston Magazine described as a "cranberry boom." The state has been a hub for the fruit for centuries, and the total value of Massachusetts’ cranberry production every year is $99.8 million.

MICHIGAN: Cherries

The state of Michigan ranks second nationwide in terms of agricultural diversity. One of its leading industries, however, is cherries: the state grows 75 percent of all tart cherries in the US, in addition to 20 percent of the country's sweet cherries.

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MINNESOTA: Beans

Minnesota grows foods like peas, sugar beets, and sweet corn, but it also grows beans. A USDA report from 2017 showed over 3 million cwt (1 cwt = 112 lbs) produced.

MISSISSIPPI: Rice

Mississippi yielded 7,400 lbs of rice per acre of land in 2017, and production value almost reached $100 million.

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MISSOURI: Soybeans

Soybeans are Missouri's number one crop, and the state yielded $2,359,834,800 in production value between the years 2012-2016.

MONTANA: Lentils

Montana has been successfully farming lentils for a long time, but a new company called Timeless Seeds in Ulm, Montana, has a lot to do with the continued success of the industry. "The tenacity of the founders is a big reason Montana is the number one producer of pulse crop production in the country," Amy Grisak of The Great Falls Tribunesaid.

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NEBRASKA: Corn

There's a reason the University of Nebraska's mascot is the Cornhusker: the state is a huge grower and producer of corn in the US. The value of production of corn in the state totaled about $5.5 billion in 2017.

NEVADA: Barley

In addition to barley, Nevada also produces potatoes, winter and spring wheat, corn, oats, onions, garlic, and honey.

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NEW HAMPSHIRE: Apples

According to the USDA, one of New Hampshire's top crops is apples. In 2012, the state harvested more than 24.5 million lbs of the fruit, which is more than $6 million worth. The state is also a growing producer of maple syrup.

NEW JERSEY: Tomatoes

Though blueberries give tomatoes a run for their money in New Jersey, it's undeniable: the state produces a lot of tomatoes, over 2 million cwt in 2017, to be exact.

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NEW MEXICO: Chile peppers

New Mexico's Rio Grande Valley has been a leading grower of chile peppers for four centuries, and its industry continues to succeed. Everything from green peppers and cayenne peppers to red chile and jalapeno peppers are grown in the state.

NEW YORK: Cabbage

"The Big Apple" does, indeed, produce a lot of apples — but New York also grows many other vegetables and fruits. Cabbage is one of them, and almost 3.5 million cwt were harvested in 2017.

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NORTH CAROLINA: Sweet potato

Though Louisiana grows its fair share of sweet potatoes, North Carolina is the state to beat. North Carolina grows more sweet potatoes in-state than the rest of the country combined. In 2016, nearly 1.7 billion lbs were produced.

NORTH DAKOTA: Dry beans

North Dakota is the country's leading producer of dry beans, harvesting one-third of the nation's crop every year.

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OHIO: Tomatoes

According to Ohio Magazine, "Ohio ranked third in processed tomato production (paste, juice, sauce, etc.) and sixth among states for fresh tomato production in 2012," per the USDA.

OKLAHOMA: Peanuts

Oklahoma is nuts for peanuts: the state grows between 50 and 70 million lbs every year.

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OREGON: Hazelnuts

Oregon is another state that grows a plethora of crops — blueberries, blackberries, mint, and pears, to name a few — but it also grows quite a bit of hazelnuts. In 2017 alone, around 32,000 tons were harvested.

PENNSYLVANIA: Peaches

Pennsylvania harvests about 5.35 tons of peaches per acre. Other popular crops grown in the state include peppers, pumpkins, beans, and apples.

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RHODE ISLAND: Corn

Rhode Island produces a good amount of milk and livestock, but not too many crops are grown in the state. Other than hay, corn is the only harvested product, and the state yielded about 18 tons per acre in 2017, per the USDA.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Melons

Watermelon and cantaloupe dominate South Carolina's rich agricultural landscape, with well over 4 million cwt of the melons produced in 2017.

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SOUTH DAKOTA: Flaxseed

Though South Dakota is a successful producer of wheat, hay, corn, and soybeans, it also does well in the flaxseed department. About 65,000 bushels were harvested in 2017, leading to a production value of $575,000.

TENNESSEE: Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a huge agricultural win for Tennessee, clocking in about $60 million in production value for the state. Tennessee also has an ideal climate and growing conditions for wheat, beans, pumpkins, and tobacco.

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TEXAS: Rice

Texas typically ranks as the nation's fourth or fifth top producer and grower of rice, making up about 7 percent of the country's supply of the crop.

UTAH: Tart cherries

Utah gives Michigan a run for its money in regard to cherry production, specifically tart cherries. The state grows roughly 25 million lbs of the fruit per year, and yielded well over $7 million in production value in 2017.

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VERMONT: Maple syrup

Vermont is a leading harvester of maple syrup, and this product accounts for much of the state's agricultural success. It also harvests apples, hay, and corn.

VIRGINIA: Apples

Virginia has a successful soybean industry, but apples are where the state also shines. It harvested upwards of 200 million lbs — and nearly $50 million in production value — of the fruit in 2017.

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WASHINGTON: Strawberries (and many others)

Washington is a hotbed for agriculture — not only does the state grow a wide variety of crops, but it grows a large quantity of each. Strawberries, nectarines, apricots, and peaches are among its fruits, and vegetables like lentils, carrots, and asparagus thrive.

WEST VIRGINIA: Peaches

Corn, apples, and soybeans are among the other crops that are grown in West Virginia. But the state also harvested an average of 6.95 tons of peaches per acre in 2017, per the USDA.

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WISCONSIN: Peas

In addition to beans, wheat, apples, cucumbers, and carrots, the fertile Wisconsin also grows quite a bit of peas — more than 950,000 cwt in 2017,actually.

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WYOMING: Corn

Wyoming harvested 720,000 tons of corn in 2017. The state also grows barley, beans, wheat, and sugar beets.

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