Chapter 11: The Agricultural Core

I know that I have already mentioned how important Merced is to the Central Valley agriculture, however I just feel the need to mention it again, especially with the title of this chapter! Without Merced, and the entire Central Valley of California, our groceries would be much more expensive. Thankfully, some, if not most of the produce in the grocery stores are from local farmers. According to labormarketinfo.edd, Merced is the fifth leading agricultural county in California.Milk and related products from Merced's dairies generate the greatest amount of revenue. Other crops grown in bulk quantities include tomatoes, grapes, almonds, poultry and beef. The landscape of the county is prime for planting. The Merced River, along with the Stanislaus River and San Joaquin River create an agriculturally rich plain for crops to thrive on.

http://www.aerialarchives.com/Aerial-Maps-of-Merced.htm As one can observe, much of the agriculture takes place outside of the metropolitan area of Merced with the plains and boundaries perfectly drawn out.