SAN DIEGO -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Friday added San Diego County to the list of California counties eligible to apply for emergency assistance because of agricultural damage caused by freezing temperatures.

Also added to the governor's state of emergency proclamation were Imperial, San Bernardino, Santa Clara, Riverside and Yuba counties.

Earlier this week, the governor issued an emergency declaration that included Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare and Ventura counties.

Recent freezing temperatures may have caused more than $400 million damage to San Diego County's farming industry, with avocados and cut flowers the hardest hit, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Statewide, crop losses could top $1 billion.

County Agricultural Commissioner Robert Atkins Thursday asked Schwarzenegger to add San Diego County to the list of agricultural areas covered by the emergency proclamation.

Local farmers will now be eligible for aid and loans from the state and federal government to recover losses from damaged crops.

California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura is scheduled to inspect the damage freezing caused to the region's crops Saturday during a tour of an area orchard and flower farm.

Agriculture is San Diego County's fifth-largest industry with more than 5,000 farmers and crops valued at $1.5 billion.