Essex County is the largest and most intensive greenhouse growing area in Canada. As of 2006, there were 5,494,164 square metres of greenhouse area under glass or plastic in Essex County – 47% of Ontario’s total acreage.
Essex County has 1,740 total farms – approximately 3% of Ontario’s 2006 total. Over 1000 of these farms are primarily Oilseed and Grain crops. The climate of Essex County allows for diverse fruit production. Apples (1584 acres), grapes (1130 acres), peaches (343 acres) and strawberries (80 acres) are the major fruit crops grown in 2006.
The major vegetable crop grown in Essex County is field tomatoes with 5733 acres in production in 2006.