Oxnard is one of the world's most important agricultural centers, with its distinction as the strawberry and lima bean capital. According to the USDA, Oxnard is California’s largest strawberry producer, supplying about one-third of the State's annual strawberry volume. From the end of September through the end of October, strawberries are planted and harvesting occurs from mid-December through mid-July in Oxnard. The peak harvesting season in California runs from April through June, when up to 10 million pint baskets of strawberries are shipped daily. The rest of Oxnard's economy is driven by international trade, other agriculture, manufacturing, defense, and tourism. Oxnard is one of the key manufacturing centers in the Greater Los Angeles Area. The Port of Hueneme is the busiest and only deep-harbor commercial port between Los Angeles and San Francisco, and is vital to trade with the Pacific Rim economies.
Major employers in Oxnard include Channel Islands Glass, Eclipse Berry Farms LLC, Oxnard City Human Resources, Oxnard College, and St John's Regional Medical Center. Oxnard's median household income was $48,603 in 2000, and the unemployment rate was 4.7 for June 2007.
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