Most of the farm acreage is rolling terrain used for cattle grazing. In recent years significant amounts of land have been converted from range and field crops to higher value orchards. Field crop acreage's in alfalfa, wheat, rice, and corn have shifted to walnut, almond, prune, and olive orchards. The county has 1,381 farms. Farm and related jobs are 14 percent of total employment.
Walnuts are the county's top commodity, with timber and prunes close behind.
Almonds and livestock are also a major contributor to market values. The Sacramento River is a major presence in the county. At Red Bluff, a portion of the river's flow is diverted into the Tehama-Colusa Canal, a Bureau of Reclamation irrigation facility stretching 100 miles south to serve agricultural land. Seventeen 4-H clubs with roughly 830 members and 245 adult volunteers provide the core program. Cross county assignments from Glenn cover field crops, olives, dairy and forage crops.