Washington Farms and Ranches: Agriculture History, How Farms Make Money and Strategy

Guide updated November 2026

Washington farms produced $12.8 billion in agricultural products in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, up from $9.63 billion in 2017, on 32,076 farms and 13.9 million acres. The Washington State Department of Agriculture puts 2023 production at $14.0 billion, led by apples at $1.991 billion, then cattle, milk, potatoes, hay and wheat.

Agriculture in Washington: A Short History

Washington agriculture grew with irrigation. Dryland wheat spread across the Palouse and the plateau in the late nineteenth century, as families such as the Swannacks of Bluegrass Farm homesteaded land in the 1880s. Irrigation then opened the Yakima Valley and later the Columbia Basin to orchards, hops, potatoes and vegetables, and Wenatchee and Yakima became centers of apple and cherry production.

Family continuity is a strong theme. Stemilt Growers began with a homestead on Stemilt Hill in 1893, Borton & Sons with a 20-acre farm in 1912 and Roy Farms with a hop harvest in 1907. NASS reports that 94 percent of Washington farms are family owned and operated.

How Farms in Washington Make Money

Commodity sales

WSDA's 2023 values put apples first at $1.991 billion, about 14 percent of the state total, followed by cattle at $1.332 billion, milk at $1.331 billion, potatoes at $1.160 billion, hay at $861.7 million, wheat at $672.2 million, eggs at $405.9 million, hops at $405.8 million, onions at $383.7 million and grapes at $309.3 million. Washington farmers grow over 300 different commodities.

Concentration at the top

Sales are concentrated. The 2022 Census found that 1,954 farms with $1 million or more in sales, 6 percent of all farms, produced 86 percent of the state's agricultural products. Packers and growers such as Stemilt Growers operate at that scale, while WSDA notes that 65 percent of farms are under 50 acres.

Direct sales and value-added

Direct-to-consumer sales reached $98.7 million on 3,564 farms, up 44 percent from the previous census. WSDA lists 151 farmers markets in 120 towns in 2024, and food and beverage processing generated more than $26.8 billion in gross business income in 2023. Roy Farms' hop blends with craft brewers show how a commodity can become a branded product.

Agriculture Strategy for Washington Farms

Soils, water and climate

The Cascades split the state. West of the mountains rain supports dairy, berries and vegetables. East of them the rain shadow makes irrigation essential for orchards, hops, potatoes and vegetables in the Yakima Valley and Columbia Basin, while the Palouse and plateau grow dryland wheat that depends on stored winter moisture. Match the crop to the water: irrigated crops need water rights and efficient systems, and dryland growers rely on rotation, residue management and variety choice. WSU Extension's regional centers at Prosser, Wenatchee, Mount Vernon and Puyallup provide local guidance.

Production and risk

Frost at bloom, heat, smoke and market swings are all risks for tree fruit and hops, and wheat prices can fall hard. Diversify across crops or markets, as Johnson Agriprises does with potatoes, wheat and organic fresh lines. Crop insurance, FSA programs and conservation practices such as the Salmon-Safe certification used by Roy Farms can protect income and open markets.

Technology and inputs

Tree fruit packers have invested in sorting and automation, as Borton & Sons' early electronic sizer shows. Potato and hop growers use scouting, soil and leaf analysis and precision irrigation. WSU Extension and the Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center publish research on pests, irrigation and varieties.

Farm Business Strategy in Washington

Margins and markets

Export markets matter to apples, cherries, wheat and hops, so currency, tariffs and shipping affect margins. Branding, as with Stemilt's trademarked apples, and certification, such as GlobalGAP and the Equitable Food Initiative, help growers sell to demanding buyers. The 2022 Census found only 34 percent of Washington farms had positive net cash farm income, so cost control and scale or a premium niche are essential.

Land, credit and succession

The average producer age is 59.3, and the state lost about 10 percent of its farms between 2017 and 2022. Farms that last, such as the Swannack wheat farm over five generations, plan succession early, use written agreements and keep the farm profitable enough for the next generation. FSA beginning-farmer loans, Farm Credit lenders and county conservation districts can help with land, equipment and practices.

Marketing and diversification

Farmers markets, farm stores, agritourism and processing add margin for small farms. Large operations diversify differently: Borton & Sons added real estate and a golf resort, and Roy Farms added hop breeding through Latitude 46. Whatever the scale, know your customer and your cost of production.

Farm Insight: Washington Trends to Watch

Washington agriculture is both large and fragile. The 2022 Census shows sales growth, but farm numbers fell 10 percent and only about a third of farms had positive net cash farm income. Watch labor costs, water supply, trade policy and the age of producers.

Certification and branding are trends worth watching. Salmon-Safe, organic and food-safety programs have moved from niche to expected for some buyers, and the farms profiled here show they can open doors.

Elite Farms and Ranches in Washington

These 5 operations are profiled in full, with history, how each makes money, lessons for other farms and published contact details.

Elite operations in Washington

• Bluegrass FarmElite operation. Lamont, Washington. Bluegrass Farm near Lamont, Washington: the Swannack family's 3,000-acre soft white wheat farm homesteaded in 1886, with history, revenue, lessons and contact.
• Borton & SonsElite operation. Yakima, Washington. Borton & Sons of Yakima, Washington: a family apple and cherry grower-packer since 1912, with history, revenue streams, lessons and where to find contact details.
• Johnson AgriprisesElite operation. Connell, Washington. Johnson Agriprises of Connell, Washington: a Columbia Basin family potato grower since 1906 with 2,200 potato acres. History, revenue, lessons and contact.
• Roy FarmsElite operation. Moxee, Washington. Roy Farms of Moxee, Washington: a family hop grower since 1907, Washington's first Salmon-Safe hop farm, with history, revenue, lessons and contact details.
• Stemilt GrowersElite operation. Wenatchee, Washington. Stemilt Growers of Wenatchee, Washington: a fifth-generation family tree fruit grower since 1893, with history, revenue streams, lessons and contact details.

Who to Contact in Washington: Agriculture Offices and Associations

• WSDA agriculture snapshot - Commodity values, farm counts and jobs
• WSU Extension agriculture - Land-grant extension for Washington farmers
• NASS Washington Census release - 2022 Census of Agriculture results
• Washington Farm Bureau - Policy, member services and news
• FSA Washington state office (archived page) - Loan and program information, archived copy
• WSU Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center - Research for Washington orchards
• USDA Census of Agriculture - National farm statistics

Washington Farming FAQ

How many farms are in Washington?

The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 32,076 farms on 13.9 million acres, down 10 percent from 2017.

What is Washington's top crop by value?

WSDA ranks apples first at $1.991 billion in 2023, followed by cattle, milk and potatoes.

Who helps Washington farmers with research?

WSU Extension and its regional research centers, plus WSDA and the Farm Bureau, provide guidance and programs.

Where can I find Washington's elite farms?

See the profiled operations below, each with the public contact details we found.

These Washington farms show that the state's strengths are diverse: a fruit packer, a hop grower, a century wheat farm, a fruit company and a potato grower. Read the profiled operations below for more detail.