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1999 YUMA COUNTY AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS

GEOGRAPHY: Yuma County, in southwest Arizona, encompasses approximately 5,561 square miles of desert interspersed with rugged mountains. An abundance of arable land in valley regions, coupled with a warm, dry climate, results in a thriving agricultural business. There are 237,742 acres of farm land in Yuma County, with 195,416 cropped. The Colorado River is the source of irrigation water for the Yuma Mesa and surrounding valleys. The county agricultural water use totals 920,000 acre feet per year. Crops grown east of the Wellton-Mohawk project and east of San Luis are irrigated from wells. Federal and State governments own 89% of the county's total land and 11% is privately owned.

CLIMATE: Average length of growing season (days above 32 F minimum) is 340 days at the Yuma Mesa Ag Center and 350 days at the Yuma Valley Ag Center. Some areas are almost frost-free. Sunshine averages 91.2% of possible time with the average annual high temperature of 87.9 F and the average annual low temperature of 60.5 F. Average yearly rainfall in Yuma County is 3.17 inches.

AGRICULTURE: Value of crops, livestock, fruits and vegetables produced on Yuma County farms and ranches was almost $727 million in 1998. Crops accounted for 90%, while livestock products was 10%. Income from livestock was estimated based on Arizona totals for inventory and gross income.

Principal field crops produced are hay, grain and cotton. Vegetable crops have become increasingly important and generated almost $545 million, the highest returns for any commodity group. Lettuce was the principal vegetable crop with supplies available from mid November into April, and grossing 73% of the vegetable income. Citrus fruit grossed over $64 million in 1999, with lemons as the major crop. Seed crops are becoming increasingly important with more than 5,700 acres grown, grossing over $13 million.

Sales of fat cattle is the county's leading livestock operation. Most of the money generated by the livestock industry is from cattle on feed. Sheep graze alfalfa fields from late fall through winter.

The 1997 farm census indicates 465 farms averaging 511 acres per farm. The Yuma Agribusiness profile published on 2/90 by the Arizona Department of Commerce indicates that 211 agricultural related businesses exist in Yuma County. Ag employment peeks in December. In 1996, agriculture employed 45,984 workers.

Prepared by Barry Tickes and Mohammed Zerkoune, Extension Agents, Agriculture and Robin Laughlin, Administrative Secretary, using Arizona Crop & Livestock Reporting Service 1999 Arizona Agricultural Statistics and other sources.

Yuma County Agricultural Statistics 1999:

CROPS

Crop Acres Av. Per Acre Av. Price Value/Acre

Gross

FIELD Cotton Lint SS 22,400 1,251 lbs. .457 lb. $571.71 $12,806,237
  Cotton Lint LS 1,800 1,093 lbs. .822 lb. 898.45 1,617,203
  Alfalfa Hay 30,000 8.3 tons 89.00 ton 738.70 22,161,000
  Other Hay 20,500 4.0 tons 73.00 ton 292.00 5,986,000
  Bermuda Seed 4,700 320 lbs. 1.20 lb. 384.00  1,804,800 
  Durum Wheat 35,300 5,880 lbs. 136.70 ton 401.90 14,187,070
  Other Wheat 1,300 6,420 lbs. 105.00 ton 337.05 438,165
  Barley 2,900 5,520 lbs. 100.00 ton 276.00 800,400
  Corn for Grain 3,400 10,130 lbs. 92.80 ton 470.03 1,598,102
  Misc. Field Crops* 3,500     5,819,850
  Misc. Seed Veg. 5,900    2,300.00 13,570,000
  Total 131,700  

80,788,827

VEGETABLES Lettuce, Head 45,000 335 Cwt 12.20 Cwt 4,087.00 183,915,000
  Lettuce, Leaf 5,300 275 Cwt 26.60 Cwt 7,315.00 38,769,500
  Romaine 9,300 292 Cwt 15.10 Cwt 4,409.20 41,005,560
  Cauliflower 3,600 309 Cwt 37.30 Cwt 11,525.70 41,492,520
  Broccoli 8,000 213 Cwt 24.30 Cwt 5,175.90 41,407,200
  Cantaloups (fall & spring ) 4,800 551 Cwt 13.80 Cwt 7,603.80 36,498,240
  Potatoes 1,250 220 Cwt 9.05 Cwt 1,991.00 2,488,750
  Spinach 2,900    3,425.20 9,933,080
  Watermelon 1,200 428 Cwt 5.60 Cwt 2,396.80 2,876,160
  Honey Dews 600 184 Cwt 16.60 Cwt 3,054.40 1,832,640
  Misc. Veg's.** 1,580     5,858,406
  Total 83,530     406,077,056
TREE & VINE  Pecans 600 1,189 lbs.. 1.25 lb. 1,486.25 891,750
  Grapes 1,115 5.12 ton 801.00 ton 4,101.12 4,572,749
  Lemons 12,800 498 Ctn 6.67 Ctn 3,321.66 42,517,248
  Grapefruit 1,100 614 Ctn 3.50 Ctn 2,149.00 2,363,900
  Valencia 2,100 354 Ctn 9.55 Ctn 3,380.70 7,099,470
  Navel & Sweet 300 273 Ctn 8.46 Ctn 2,309.58 692,874
  Tangerines 2,500 510 Ctn 9.25 Ctn 4,717.50 11,793,750
  TOTAL 20,515     $ 69,931,741
  Total Crops 235,745   $ 556,797,623
LIVESTOCK Total includes Fat Cattle, Sheep & Lambs, and Misc. Livestock - Est. based on AZ totals of inventory & gross income  

$ 71,883,680

Total Crop Gross Income 1999 Yuma County $ 628,681,303

* Includes Cottonseed (ac. same as Lint), & Safflower
** Includes Bok Choy, Cabbage, Kale, and Napa

Click for more general information on production in agriculture in Arizona.



Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, James A. Christenson, Director, Cooperative Extension, College of Agriculture, The University of Arizona.

The University of Arizona College of Agriculture is an Equal Opportunity employer authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to sex, race, religion, color, nationa~ origin, age, Vietnam Era Veteran's
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The University of Arizona. College of Agriculture. U.S. Department of Agriculture and Arizona Counties Cooperating


For more information contact: Robin Laughlin, Yuma County Extension, (520) 726-3904
Yuma County Office
2200 W. 28th St.. Ste. 102
Yuma. AZ 85364-6928
FAX:(520) 726-8472

 
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