Sacramento: Fast Facts about America's Farm-to-Fork Capital

Sacramento Farmers Market

It doesn't get more farm-fresh than the Sacramento region, and we're growing everything from apples to beer. Read on to learn more about the amazing agriculture and food scenes in America's Farm-to-Fork Capital.

Agricultural Powerhouse

• Sacramento is the capital of California, the largest agricultural producer in the nation
• No major city in America is more centrally located amid such a vast range of high-quality farms, ranches and vineyards
• Sacramento is home to the largest California Certified Farmers Market in the state and offers the most ethnically diversified market in both produce offerings and customer demographics. The Sacramento region also has more than 40 farmers markets, many of them year-round fixtures
• The Sacramento region contains 1.5 million acres of regional farmland and 7,000 - 8,000 acres of boutique farms, and 70 percent of the region's land is agricultural, forest or other open space
• Sacramento's Mediterranean climate produces some of the nation's most diverse and high-quality crops year-round

Feeding the World

• If you're eating sushi anywhere in the nation, chances are, you're getting a taste of Sacramento's massive rice crop. In fact, Japan consumes more Sacramento area-grown sushi rice than its own domestic rice
• The Sacramento region is leading the globe in domestic caviar production, with 80 percent of domestic caviar being farmed in Sacramento County and supplied to some of the nation's finest restaurants and providers, including Petrossian and Per Se
• California supplies 80 percent of the globe's almonds, and Sacramento-based Blue Diamond is the largest almond processor in the world
• Superior Farms in Dixon provides product to restaurants in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin
• Snake River Farms' beef, which is raised at VanVleck Ranch in eastern Sacramento County, is distributed nationally in San Francisco, New York, Denver, Chicago, and Los Angeles

Eat, Drink and Be Merry

• The Sacramento region's craft beer scene is exploding, boasting more than 40 breweries. Brewers like Ruhstaller are embracing “hops-to-pint” by crafting locally-farmed beers, and critics are taking notice of the region. For example, Sacramento's Track 7 took home top honors at this year's California State Fair Beer Awards for its Panic IPA
• Java lovers will find their paradise in California's Capital City, with countless coffee houses that are roasting their own award-winning blends. In 2014, Sacramento had more mentions on Coffee Review's “Top 30” list than any other city and was ranked the number one destination for coffee in the world by travel website Matador 
• In 2014, renowned Sacramento chef Patrick Mulvaney brought a taste of Sacramento to the James Beard House, joining the ranks of other Sacramento region eateries like Taste and Frank Fat's. Other restaurants like The Kitchentook home the coveted AAA Five-Diamond Award and the Sacramento Hyatt Regency's Dawson's scored Four-Diamond recognition
• The Sacramento region boasts several options that allow visitors to savor local tastes and sights on foot or even by bike. Local Roots Food Tours offers detailed culinary walking trips for serious foodies, or beer-fanatics can pedal for their pints onboard the new SacBrewBike
• You can enjoy a taste of Sacramento's cuisine without ever leaving your hotel room. Many of the region's hotels are embracing farm-to-fork by creating room service menus featuring locally-sourced options
  
  

There's no place for foodies like Sacramento in September. The region's Farm-to-Fork Celebration takes place Sept. 10-27, 2015 and highlights the region's culinary scene with daily restaurant specials, farm dinners, street fairs and other exciting events. One standout event is the Farm-to-Fork Festival on Sept. 26, featuring food, wine and beer vendors, along with farm displays, kids' activities, cooking demonstrations, live music and more. The 2014 festival attracted more than 30,000 people. 

Find out more at farmtofork.com.