Washington’s agricultural production in 2022 reached an all-time high of $12.7 billion, shattering the previous mark as seven of the state’s top 10 commodities enjoyed record years.

The old mark of $10.4 billion was set in 2015, despite a severe drought. Washington’s record production last year coincided with rising food prices and record farm exports.

Higher prices rather than larger crops drove the increase in value for most commodities, USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service regional director Dennis Koong said.

Apples most valuable

Apples were again the state’s most-valuable crop, making up 16% of agricultural production. The 2022 crop was valued at $2.07 billion, up 3% from the year before.

The increase was modest compared to the other commodities in the top five. Milk, wheat, cattle and calves, and potatoes all set records for value.

Milk production was $1.68 billion, up 39% from 2021. Wheat production was $1.17 billion, up 55%. Cattle and calves production was $1.02 billion, up 28%. Potato production was $943 million, up 32%.

Others in the top 10 were hay, eggs, hops, sweet cherries and grapes.

Hay production was a record $882.5 million, up 46% from 2021. Egg production soared to a record $459.9 million, up 149%. Hop production was $434.4 million, down 9%.

Sweet cherry production was $407.7 million, down 13%. Grape production was a record $394.8 million, up 31%.

Eggs rose to be the state’s seventh-most valuable commodity after being 12th in 2021. Wholesale egg prices rose to a record high in 2022 as bird flu reduced egg-laying flocks elsewhere in the U.S., according to USDA.

Record-setters outside the top 10 included onions, $368 million; carrots, $251 million; and canola, $70.7 million.

Crops that had lower value in 2022 included blueberries, down 13% to $187 million; corn for grain, down 19% to $108 million and dry edible beans, down 28% to $35 million.

Washington led the U.S. in the production of apples, sweet cherries, hops, blueberries, pears and spearmint oil.

The U.S. exported a record $196 billion in farm products in 2022, up 11% from 2021, the previous record, according to the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service.

Washington is a large exporter of farm goods such as frozen french fries, wheat, dairy products, hay, apples and sweet cherries.

Washington ranked 16th among all states in farm exports, according to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service.

Food prices in the U.S. rose 9.9% in 2022, according to USDA’s Economic Research Service.

Washington agricultural production has more than doubled since 2005.

Value of Washington’s farm goods unchanged in 2021