California's Prominence

Discuss the key factors which led to California 's prominence as the leading agricultural state.

Background:

California produces more than 200 different farm commodities. Most agricultural states economy, such as California’s, solely depend on a single crop. Examples of singles crop would be corn, tobacco, cotton, meat or dairy products. The field planting that went on at the missions was later complemented by cattle ranching and sheep grazing. By the early 1860s, more than 3 million cattle wander around California’s hills and valleys while several hundred thousand sheep wandered around the state’s ranges. One of the difficulties that occurred during this was with sheep herders when cattlemen built protective sheds and fences for their stocks. Lambs give off a particularly strong odor, as well as they overgrow cattle ranges. It explains the bitterness difference between the two groups. Sometimes conflicts between these two

This resulted in an increasing demand of stocks of corn and wheat on the market. California’s climate and soil made the perfect conditions to provide with the high demand of corn and wheat on the international level in the market. Whereas the state had previously imported most of its grain, now can grow its own stocks in the Central Valley region. This region also became a major exporter of oats, barley, and corn. The state produced a hard, dry wheat that was popular with British millers.
By 1890, annual wheat production in California reached 40 million profit and the state ranked second among all states in its growth. While the profits on wheat kept rising higher, vicious competition started between large growers and small farmers. The big landowners could make more profitable deals with middlemen, railroad agents, and steamship owners, eventually buying out those farms who could not stay financially