Arizona’s diverse terrain and climate bring diverse ag products. Cattle and calves and dairy are leading Arizona ag products, with cotton, lettuce and hay positioned as top-produced crops. Additionally, citrus is a vital economic force, and the Grand Canyon State ranks second in the nation for cantaloupe
Cantaloupe
The cantaloupe, rockmelon, sweet melon, or spanspek is a melon that is a variety of the muskmelon species from the Cucurbitaceae family. Cantaloupes range in weight from 0.5 to 5 kilograms. Originally, cantaloupe referred only to the non-netted, orange-fleshed melons of Europe…
, honeydew melons and lemon production.
What is the importance of Agriculture in Arizona?
The importance of agriculture and its contributions to the citizens and the state of Arizona cannot be overlooked. Agriculture is estimated to be a $23.3 billion industry, resulting in the creation of 138,000 jobs.
What is the mission of the Arizona Department of Agriculture?
Mission: To support and promote Arizona agriculture in a way that encourages farming, ranching and agribusiness, protects the well-being of people, plants, animals and the environment while safeguarding commerce, consumers and natural resources. The Department preserves the health of people, animals, plants and natural resources.
Which counties sell the most agricultural products in Arizona?
Maricopa County had the highest market value of products sold in the state, followed by Yuma County. Maricopa, Yuma, and Pinal counties combined accounted for 83 percent of the total for the state. Figure 4 shows Arizona counties by value of agricultural products sold and the percent of sales for either crops or livestock, poultry, and products.
What is the main agriculture in Arizona?
Cattle and calves and dairy are Arizona’s leading agricultural products, with cotton, lettuce and hay positioned as top-produced crops. Additionally, citrus is a vital economic force – the Grand Canyon State ranks second in the nation for cantaloupe, honeydew melons and lemon production.
What are the top 5 agricultural products from Arizona?
In terms of revenue generated, Arizona’s top five agricultural products are cattle and calves, lettuce, dairy products, cotton, and hay.
What crop is grown in Arizona?
Cattle and calves and dairy are leading Arizona ag products, with cotton, lettuce and hay positioned as top-produced crops. Additionally, citrus is a vital economic force, and the Grand Canyon State ranks second in the nation for cantaloupe, honeydew melons and lemon production.
Is Arizona a good state for farming?
Arizona Farming Does Produce Really Well According to the results, Arizona continues to be one of the major agricultural states, ranking third in the nation for total value of vegetables, melons and potatoes produced and second in U.S. lettuce production.
What is Arizona famous for growing?
Leafy greens, cabbage, dates, melons, lemons, oranges, apples, potatoes and tomatoes are just some foods harvested from Arizona’s nourishing soil. The state also boasts a growing nut and date crop industry. Pistachio trees have a small presence in the Grand Canyon State, but the pecan business is developing quickly.
What grows naturally in Arizona?
Arizona Native Plants ListSaguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) … Desert Lily (Hesperocallis undulata) … Elephant Tree (Bursera microphylla) … Desert Holly (Atriplex hymenelytra) … Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa) … Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) … Skyrocket (Ipomopsis aggregata) … Alligator Juniper (Juniperus deppeana)More items…•
Where is the best place to farm in Arizona?
Yuma County, Ariz., is our Best Places to Farm return champion, for good reason. It’s a vegetable powerhouse — the nation’s winter salad bowl, where farmers grow about 90% of all the leafy vegetables eaten in the U.S. from November through March.
What are Arizona’s top 3 exports?
Arizona’s largest exports by dollar value include:Aerospace parts and products: $3.8 billion.Semiconductor and other electronic components: $3.5 billion.Metal ores: $2 billion. … Other fabricated metal products: $1.5 billion.Electrical equipment and components, not elsewhere classified: $1.2 billion.
What is the main industry in Arizona?
The major employment sectors in Arizona include aerospace, electronics and semi conductor manufacturing. Tourism, business services and back-office operations are also important sectors. Arizona’s original export activities – agriculture and mining – remain significant in many rural parts of the state.
Is there free land in Arizona?
When many people think of homesteading in America, they think of the law that existed in the 18th century that provided free land from the government so long as a family lived and worked the land. There is no homestead act currently in force that allows for free land in Arizona.
What food can you grow in Arizona?
14 Vegetables That Can Be Grown Well In Arizona Full SunTomatoes. Tomatoes are a flowering plant that is mainly grown for its fruit vegetables. … Peppers. Peppers are also a great option for those people living in areas like Arizona. … Corn. … Cantaloupe. … Armenian Cucumber. … Eggplant. … Okra. … Pumpkin.More items…•
Can you live off grid in Arizona?
Off-grid living is technically legal in Arizona. State laws even encourage some off-grid systems. However, off grid living is highly regulated. You will need a permit for almost everything you want to install or build on your property.
What is Arizona’s agriculture?
Arizona Agriculture. Arizona’s diverse terrain brings with it diverse climates, much to the benefit of the state’s agriculture industry. The southern part of Arizona is mostly desert, and where cotton and lettuce crops flourish. Cattle and sheep thrive in the mountainous regions of the north and west. Cattle and calves and dairy are Arizona’s …
What are the top producing crops in Arizona?
Cattle and calves and dairy are Arizona’s leading agricultural products, with cotton, lettuce and hay positioned as top-produced crops.
What is UA in agriculture?
University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (UA) puts science to work, creating innovative solutions to the challenges of arid-land agriculture. With 150,000 acres of farm and ranchland located in Graham, Coconino, Pima, Pinal, and Yuma counties, UA’s Experiment Station research sites allow for developing cutting-edge programs that address the specific needs of Arizona agribusiness.
What is Western Growers?
Western Growers is a non-profit trade association that represents local and regional family farmers growing fresh produce in Arizona, California, Colorado and New Mexico. Western Growers’ members and their workers provide over half the nation’s fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts, including nearly half of America’s fresh organic produce.
Where is lettuce grown?
If you eat a salad containing lettuce anywhere in the United States during the winter months, most likely that lettuce was grown in Yuma. In fact, Yuma farmers annually produce enough iceberg lettuce for every man, woman and child in the United States, Canada and Mexico to have their very own head of Yuma -grown lettuce. And there would still be nearly 90 million heads of lettuce to send to other countries in the world. That’s why Yuma is known as the “Winter Lettuce Capital of the World.”
What is the mission of Arizona Agriculture?
Mission: To support and promote Arizona agriculture in a way that encourages farming, ranching and agribusiness, protects the well-being of people, plants, animals and the environment while safeguarding commerce, consumers and natural resources.
What is Arizona’s cotton?
When the popularity of Egyptian cotton grew, Arizona farmers worked to grow an American hybrid. The longer fibers found in the hybrid cotton are stronger than the short staple cotton. This cotton, later called Pima cotton, was valued for its strength. The cloth made from it is soft and silky.
How long has agriculture been around in Arizona?
Agriculture’s history in the Grand Canyon State stretches back more than 4,000 years. Archaeological records show Indigenous people growing gardens to sustain their families.
What is UDA in Arizona?
Founded in 1960, United Dairymen of Arizona (UDA) is Arizona’s largest milk marketing cooperative. The cooperative merged two local dairy associations to ensure an adequate supply of fresh milk and dairy products of the highest possible quality for customers.
What are the top three crops grown in Arizona?
Yuma County is among the top three counties in the U.S. for the vegetables, melons, potatoes, and sweet potatoes commodity category. The top three agricultural products by market value in Arizona represent 65 percent of all sales for the state. These were vegetables, melons, potatoes, and sweet potatoes followed by milk from cows and cattle and calves (Figure 3). Milk from cows is the top commodity for Maricopa County and it ranks sixth in the nation for all counties producing milk.
Which county in Arizona has the most farms?
Apache County had the largest number of farms in the state with 5,551 followed by Navajo County at 4,205. These two counties also were home to the largest number of smaller and larger farms. The average size of farm was largest in Gila County. Coconino County had the most acreage devoted to farming and ranching.
What percentage of Arizona farmers are Hispanic?
In a state with more than 30 percent of the population Hispanic or Latino, only 4.5 percent of Arizona’s farmers were Hispanic. This was similar to the nation, where 3.3 percent of farmers were Hispanic. The average age of producers in Arizona was 59.4 years.
What percentage of farms have internet?
In 2017, 75 percent of U.S. farms had internet access, up from 70 percent in 2012. Rates are higher in western and northern states. The number of farms utilizing renewable energy is growing. In 2017, 7.6 percent of all farms in Arizona had some sort of renewable energy producing system, up from 4 percent in 2012.
What is the average age of a producer in Arizona?
The average age of producers in Arizona was 59.4 years. This was higher than the U.S. average of 57.5 years and only two states were older: Hawaii with 60.1 years and New Mexico with 59.8 years. Within Arizona, only Pinal and Yuma had a lower average age than the nation.
Which state has the highest percentage of female farmers?
At 48.7 percent, Arizona has the largest percentage of female farmers of any state and far above the national figure of 36.1 percent. Coconino was the county with the largest percentage of female producers, at 55.4 percent, while La Paz had just 19.6 percent.
Which states have more acres?
Western states tend to have more acreage per farm and the average size was more than 1,000 acres for Wyoming, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Arizona.
Number of Farms
Agricultural Products
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Arizona remains a top state for vegetables and melons, ranking fifth out of all states. Yuma County is among the top three counties in the U.S. for the vegetables, melons, potatoes, and sweet potatoes commodity category. The top three agricultural products by market value in Arizona represent 65 percent of all sales for the state. These were vegeta…
Organic and Direct Sales
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The number of farms in Arizona selling organic products stayed virtually the same between 2012 and 2017. Total sales, however, increased by 80 percent in that time. Arizona had 75 farms with $54,503,000 in organic product sales in 2012. In 2017, the number of farms was 74, yet sales increased to $97,956,000, accounting for 2.5 percent of total farm sales for the state. The numb…
Demographics
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For the first time, the census questionnaire allowed for up to four people per farm to be listed as producers while in previous years it was limited to just one “principal operator”. A producer is a person involved in making decisions for the farm operation. This can be an owner, a member of the owner’s household, a hired manager, a tenant, renter, or sharecropper. (This article uses the t…
Business Trends and Practices
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The average market value of products sold per farm in Arizona increased since 2012, but so did production expenses, leaving net cash farm income considerably lower than the previous census, falling from $30,012 in 2012 to $18,231 in 2017. Net cash income measured as a per farm average was already lower in Arizona that the nation in 2012. It is now less than half that of the …