Still not on the state seal...

February 17, 2006 5:37 AM

2005 Washington State 10 largest agricultural commodities: (1) Apples, (2) Milk, (3) Wheat, (4) Potatoes, (5) Cattle and calves, (6) Hay, (7) Nursery and greenhouse products, (8) Marijuana, (9) Cherries, (10) Onions.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow (24 comments total)

Thank you for linking to three iterations of the same wire-service article.

Also, the item on that list that stands out for me is #5: Cattle and calves. Since when is livestock considered agriculture?
posted by Dr. Wu at 5:45 AM on February 17, 2006

And it's probably much higher than that. The eighth place ranking is based on the amount of reefer seized by police which one can assume is a drop in the bucket.

Good news though. Government's insatiable desire for tax will inevitably change the way they view this valuable cash crop. And then crop subsidies won't be far behind....
posted by three blind mice at 5:46 AM on February 17, 2006

Dr. Wu:

The science, art, and business of cultivating soil, producing crops, and raising livestock; farming.
- The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

Agriculture is the process of producing food, feed, fiber and many other desired products by the cultivation of certain plants and the raising of domesticated animals (livestock).
- Some random Wikipedia contributor
posted by melt away at 5:52 AM on February 17, 2006

And that's just the value of what they seized.

From the second link:
Law enforcement officials estimate they find perhaps one-third to one-half of the pot being grown illegally. Police made 412 arrests and recovered nearly 400 weapons during marijuana raids last year.

I think they're fooling themselves, but supposing we believed their 1/3 figure, then pot is a $710 million industry and closing in on apples.

Meanwhile, in B.C.,

Stephen Easton (Marijuana Growth in British Colombia, Policy Sources (Fraser Institute), n. 74, 2004), [pdf],
estimates exports of marijuana to be worth ~ 2 billion (this is net of domestic consumpation; he argues ~ 80% is export ... not sure whether this is export to US or just "out of BC").

Also in that report:
* Canadian internal market for marijuana (low end of survey of estimates), about 1.8 G$, compared to tobacco, 2.3 G$
* year 2000 estimate, BC GDP 131 G$, grow-op sales 2.8% of GDP (but this is a loose number: compares final sales figures, rather than value-added measures. But note that margins are extremely high: estimates range from 55 - 100%, and that sales are calculated at wholesale cost.)
posted by bumpkin at 5:52 AM on February 17, 2006

Not too surprising.
posted by Gator at 6:03 AM on February 17, 2006

I had heard that marijuana in BC was a bigger cash crop and source of income for rural communities than lumber...
posted by anthill at 6:07 AM on February 17, 2006

agriculture : plants and animals
horticulture : plants only
posted by tarantula at 6:11 AM on February 17, 2006

Number 7 is "nursery and greenhouse products." Surely this category includes marijuana?
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:12 AM on February 17, 2006

And then crop subsidies won't be far behind....

The War on Drugs is an indirect subsidy, one that puts tobacco subsidies to shame. It raises prices to what would otherwise be astronomical rates (the marginal cost is near zero), and yet can hardly make a dent in the actual volume of product in the market.

It is the illegality of marijuana that makes it such a profitable business.
posted by sonofsamiam at 6:28 AM on February 17, 2006

11. Stoned Slackers
posted by HTuttle at 6:45 AM on February 17, 2006

It is the illegality of marijuana that makes it such a profitable business.

Exactly. Greater risk == greater reward.
posted by anomie at 6:46 AM on February 17, 2006

It is the illegality of marijuana that makes it such a profitable business.

You're right sonofsamiam. When it is made legal in order that it may be taxed, then the indirect crop subsidy disappears and a direct subsidy won't be far behind. Prices will go down and the farmers will make more because the middle men (and women) will be cut out.
posted by three blind mice at 6:51 AM on February 17, 2006

4-H Washington: Head, Heart, Hands, and Hemp
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 7:26 AM on February 17, 2006

Oh, please.

[from the linked article] Marijuana stands as the largest revenue producing crop in Alabama, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

For once, I'm proud of my state.
posted by Clay201 at 7:53 AM on February 17, 2006

you can also add Arkansas to that list, Clay....
posted by WhipSmart at 8:17 AM on February 17, 2006

Also, the item on that list that stands out for me is #5: Cattle and calves. Since when is livestock considered agriculture?

I've always considered it part of agriculture, and I live in Iowa.
posted by delmoi at 8:50 AM on February 17, 2006

It is the illegality of marijuana that makes it such a profitable business.

Enforcement of marijuana laws is actualy a gift to the dealers who don't get caught. It makes their jobs much more profitable, and their lives much easier.
posted by delmoi at 8:52 AM on February 17, 2006

This is funny. My (old, conversative, very nice) Dad lives in WA--he's constantly railing about them damn Canadians bringing in their wacky weed.

Heh. I wish I could email this to him--but I'll have to print it out.
posted by bardic at 9:01 AM on February 17, 2006

Marijuana is the US fourth leading cash crop. Washington state is way behind the curve.
posted by Pollomacho at 9:02 AM on February 17, 2006

Perhaps they need to outlaw apples, and get the price of a Golden Delicious, like high end pot, above gold by weight.
posted by StickyCarpet at 9:02 AM on February 17, 2006

Apples and marijuana are complementary, StickyCarpet. I think you're on to something.
posted by bardic at 9:04 AM on February 17, 2006

Also, the item on that list that stands out for me is #5: Cattle and calves. Since when is livestock considered agriculture?
posted by Dr. Wu at 7:45 AM CST on February 17 [!]

Basically since as long as the term has been used.

Also, the cops are sadly deluding themselves if they believe they are confiscating 1/3 to 1/2 of the total weed production.
posted by Ynoxas at 9:49 AM on February 17, 2006

It is the illegality of marijuana that makes it such a profitable business.


Well, you have to imagine if it was legal, then we'd grow a lot more of it and the revenue from the increased volume would definitely make up for the drop in value. Also, think about all the other products that come from cannabis (hemp).
posted by rainman84 at 1:52 PM on February 17, 2006

Legal or not, I'm new to Louisville and can't find any so the cops are doing something right. Will someone please prove them wrong and contact me?
posted by highlandsguy at 12:27 PM on February 26, 2006