These are the 14 Most Valuable Crops Grown in Arizona
You may not look at Arizona and think about farming, but the state has its share of valuable crops. Looking at the state agricultural overview from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, you can see that as of 2022, Arizona had 16,700 farms, equating to a bit over 25.5 million acres of land.
Think of all those farms on all that land, and know that on average, just one farm can feed 166 people. So going off that data, that could equate to Arizona farms feeding roughly 2.7 million people.
How big is farming in Arizona?
In total, agriculture in Arizona contributes over $23.3 billion to the economy. In comparison, the USDA lists California as being the top agriculture contributor at $58 billion.
Arizona is typically looked at as an arid state with only deserts -- not ideal for farming. However, the state does have several ecosystems where crops grow well. In fact, the weather conditions actually allow for crops to be grown year-round in Arizona.
Some of the fastest-growing farming industries in the state are nuts and wine. But numerous other things are grown as well!
I truly appreciate farmers and all they do
Farmers in the U.S. work hard to keep their crops growing and supply food to the population. The job can come with many struggles -- not just uncontrollable weather patterns or bad crop yields.
What many don't realize is that farms are very often run by families -- in America 96% of the farms are family-owned. This is a job that doesn't stop, and if not for farmers, there would be far less food available.
So, when it comes to Arizona specifically, what crops is the state producing the most of? Stacker compiled this list to let people know:
14 Most Valuable Crops in Arizona
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