California is not only the largest agricultural state, but it’s also the most diverse, with several hundred crops grown. There may be a new major crop in the Golden State – agave.

Stuart Woolf heads a large family farm in Fresno County, and has seen excellent agronomic success growing 450 acres of agave. The crop uses a small fraction of the water when compared to many other crops, and it has intriguing market potential for spirits and as a sweetener. 

This crop may turn into an excellent option especially for farmers in the San Joaquin Valley, who routinely face limited water supplies. 

Woolf has extensively studied agave production in Mexico and is a licensed nurseryman that has sold tens of thousands of plants to other California growers. U.C. Davis has several years of ongoing research on agave viability, and industry influencers are looking into the feasibility of this fledgling crop being distilled into a high-quality spirit.