Whatcom County has become a leading dairy and poultry area for the state. The lush pastures supply grass for ten months of the year for the dairy herds. Two dairy plants produce butter, cheese, and powdered milk used locally and shipped far and wide. There are hundreds of poultry farms, some with a few hundred chicks and others with more than ten thousand chicks. The area ranks first in egg production in the state.
Agriculture is important today in the Bellingham area.
The mild climate makes it an ideal place to grow fruits and berries. Strawberries, raspberries and blueberries thrive in the rich soil. Pears, apples, plums, cherries and filbert nuts do well there. Vegetables such as potatoes and string beans are also grown in this region. Bellingham has become a diverse city today.