Census of Horticultural Specialties

Census of Horticultural Specialties. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report.

The 2014 Census of Horticultural Specialties survey was released on Monday and takes a look at detailed production and sales data for floriculture, nursery and specialty crops. Chris Mertz with NASS talks about some of the findings.

MERTZ: Washington came in a number two in the states that produced nursery stock for fruit and nut plants and that's at $65.4 million dollars of sales

The last time this survey was done was in 2009 and Mertz says there has been a increase.

MERTZ: The state of Washington increased 31% in total dollars and Oregon increased from 12% in 2009. Oregon is ranked number three in the country at $932-million dollars of sales. Washington ranked number 9 in the country in 2014.

And since it's Christmas time, Chris, how about Christmas trees?

MERTZ: Oregon remains the number one state in the country. In 2014, sales of cut Christmas trees in Oregon was $127.4 million dollars. Oregon also ranks number one in total acres of production in Christmas trees at 41-thousand acres. Washington State was ranked number six in the country in cut Christmas trees but the value of sales rounds up to $12 million dollars.

That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network of the West.