Take all of Solano County’s crops – more than 80 of them, from fruits and vegetables to cattle.  Now, add their values up.  The grand total from 2008 is nearly $300 million, according to the county’s annual crop report out this week.  Nine percent higher than the year before.
 
Allan: “People are buying more fresh foods and less highly-processed food than before.” 
 
That’s the county’s agriculture commissioner, Jim Allan.
 
Allan: “I think people in the Bay Area especially are focused on local agriculture as being the only truly sustainable agriculture.  And ethically, people are making the choice to buy local.” 
 
Allan says higher prices made up for a drop in production caused by the drought.  But Solano County appears to be fairing better than other parts of the state.  The California Department of Food and Agriculture says some counties and crops have taken a bigger hit from the drought than others.