California asparagus growers hang on despite acreage decline

Ever-increasing labor costs in California and free trade that led to a surge in cheaper, duty-free asparagus imports from Mexico have pushed the state’s asparagus industry to the brink of extinction. But a handful of growers and packers continue to hang on, with some even expressing a ray of optimism. “I think we’ve felt better about it the last two years,” said Aaron Barcellos, a partner in the family-owned A-Bar Ag Enterprises near Firebaugh. “Last year and this year, the markets, for whatever reason, haven’t had the (imported) grass, and we’re finding better markets.” California asparagus production topped 37,000 acres in 2000 before it started to decline, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture figures. The state now has probably fewer than 1,000 acres of commercial asparagus, according to industry estimates.