Chester County Data Sheets

The ADC’s Inventory Partnership Committee is developing data sheets on a variety of agricultural topics to assess agriculture’s contribution to Chester County’s economy and landscape. The Inventory Partnership Committee is made up of representatives from the Brandywine Conservancy, Chester County Conservation District, Chester County Economic Development Council, Chester County Open Space Department, Chester/Delaware Farm Bureau, New Bolton Center, Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA), Penn State Cooperative Extension, and USDA Farm Service Agency.

Mushroom Data Sheet

Chester County is the Mushroom Capital of the world and mushrooms are the top vegetable crop in the County.  The County’s 61 mushroom farms account for 47 percent of total U.S. mushroom production and contribute an estimated $2.7 billion to the local economy including sales, farm employment, taxes paid by farms, and the value of service industries that support mushroom farms. (Source: 2008 Penn State Economic Impact Study)

To learn more about the mushroom industry in the county please view the Mushroom Data Sheet.

Dairy Data Sheet

Agriculture is the number one industry in Pennsylvania with an annual income of $5.9 billion and Chester County has the second highest revenue (following Lancaster County) from agricultural sales at over $553 million. Chester County dairy farms rank fifth in dairy revenue generation in Pennsylvania with at total farm revenue in 2007 of $68 million, representing 12.3% of the value of total agricultural products sold in the County.

There are dairy farms in 28 of our municipalities and they contribute an estimated economic impact of more than $247 million, with an estimated 85% of the money generated spent within the local community. To learn more about the dairy industry in the county please view the Dairy Data Sheet.