A canal flows through orchards west of Fresno on June 3, 2022. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

Several Central Valley counties are expected to lose millions each year due to the impacts of natural disasters on farms, according to a new report.

Trace One, a product lifecycle management software company, released its 2025 edition of their “Where Natural Disasters Are Having the Biggest Impact on the Nation’s Food Supply” report, in which Fresno, Tulare, Madera and Kings County farms have been identified as some of the U.S. counties with the highest agricultural losses due to natural disasters such as droughts, floods, and hurricanes.

Fresno County ranked no. 14 on the list, with a total expected annual loss of over $29.3 million and a $6,630 expected annual loss per farm. The total agricultural value in the county is over $7.4 billion.

According to the study, the worst natural hazard for agriculture in Fresno County is drought.

Tulare County ranked no. 25, and is expected to see a total expected annual loss of over $14.3 million with a $3,873 expected annual loss per farm. Tulare County’s total agriculture value is $5.7 billion, and its biggest threat of natural hazard for agriculture reported to be riverine flooding.

Madera County is ranked 39th, with an expected total annual loss of $9.2 million and an expected annual loss per farm at $7,360. The total agriculture value in Madera County is $1.9 billion, with its worst natural hazard for agriculture being drought.

Ranking at 40 is Kings County with a total expected annual loss of over $9.1 million and an expected $10,580 expected annual loss per farm. The county’s total agriculture value is over $2.1 billion.

Kings County worst natural hazard for agriculture is drought.

California produces 12% of the nation’s total agricultural value and disproportionally bears 37% of the total losses caused by natural hazards, amounting to $1.3 billion annually.

Santa Barbara tops the list, with an expected annual loss of over $245 million, the most of any U.S. county, equating to more than $180,000 lost per farm each year.

All but one of the top 15 counties with the greatest expected annual losses are in California.

According to the report, on a per-farm basis, California reports an average loss of $20,528, the highest of any state – reflecting its reliance on high-value crops such as fruits, nuts and vegetables — all of which are especially vulnerable to water shortages.

The total expected annual loss for the entire U.S. is over $7.4 billion.

The data used in the study is from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Risk Index and the US Department of Agriculture’s Census of Agriculture.