Agriculture in Arizona is a notable sector in the state's economy, contributing more than $23.3 billion in 2018. Arizona's diverse climate allows it to export all sorts of commodities such as nuts, wheat, cotton, eggs, meat, and dairy to the United States and 70 other countries. In 2018, the state produced 455.7 million pounds (206.7 kt) of red meat and ranked 3rd in producing vegetables in the United States, occupying 26 million acres (110,000 square kilometres) of land for farms and ranches combined. [1]
Due to Arizona's four deserts and very low rainfall, the agricultural sector acquires its water from the state's rivers and streams that include the Colorado, Verde, Salt, Gila, San Pedro, Santa Cruz and Little Colorado Rivers. [2] [1]
Arizona contains the most extended continually farmed land in the United States. [3] Research done on soil and pollen east of the Grand canyon in the Comanche and Nankoweap sites suggest that early Archaic people lived and farmed on these sites for at least a thousands years. Remnants of crops indicate that corn and cotton may have been grown on the sites. [4] The first proven farms in what is now Arizona, were patches of maize planted by foragers in the floodplains of the Gila River. [5] This area supported many civilizations like the Hohokam and Mogollon. These cultures planted maize, squash, cotton, and beans. [6] In the 1600s, the Spanish had brought cattle to the New World that later in the century amounted in the hundreds of thousands, eventually making their way to Arizona over time. [7]
A large portion of cattle were moved through Arizona en route to California in the 1850s. Permanent herds were not present until the Civil War. [7]
During the Civil War era in Arizona, Native American Pima and Maricopa tribes would grow crops such as wheat, corn, beans, melons, and pumpkins by the millions of pounds due to newly acquired technology. When the Union and Confederate armies made their way to Arizona, relations with the tribes were mostly business related, with the tribes selling their crops (mostly wheat) to the armies. When the Union took control of Arizona, flour mills and granaries were built and used wheat bought from the tribes. After the war, settlers saw the potential Arizona had to sustain agriculture and began to move in. As for the tribes, though they had profited from the sales of their crops, the new industry had negatively affected them as settlers would move a little too close to their reservations and use their resources. [8]
Natives had already mastered the art of farming, [8] but in the late 19th century, white settlers struggled to adapt their farming practices to the arid climate. In more recent times, the University of Arizona Agricultural Experiment Station provided settlers with ways to adapt and increase crop yield. This helped turn the University of Arizona into the center of Agriculture for the American Southwest. [3]
Irrigation and water rights shaped the development of the industry in the 20th century. Notably, Arizona v. California (1962) resulted in the US Supreme Court ruling that Arizonian farmers could draw water from Colorado River tributaries without federal regulation. This caused a boom in agricultural output. However, concerns about sustainability remain. [9]
Contributing $2 billion to Arizona's economy in 2015, the state ranks second in the production of leafy greens such as lettuce and spinach. In 2007, producers created the Arizona Leafy greens program assuring that greens produced with the program are produced with food safety in mind by using strict protocols. The program has since set a higher standard and good model for food safety that allowed other commodities and states to follow. Yuma is known as the "Winter Lettuce Capital of the World" due to the county's very high production of lettuce during the winter season having 90% sunshine year-round, rich soil, and the Colorado river. Leafy greens are also produced in Maricopa county. [1]
With Arizona not receiving much rainfall, grapes can still be grown in 1,250 acres (510 hectares) as they don't require much water. Most if not all grapes are then used to produce wine, as 300,000 US gallons (1,100,000 litres; 250,000 imperial gallons) of it was produced in 2015, with the market valued at $25 million. Grape vineyards can be found in Cochise, Santa Cruz, and Yavapai counties. [1]
Pecans are a staple in Arizona's agricultural industry, having the biggest pecan grove in the globe spanning some 8,000 acres (3,200 hectares). [1] Pecans are grown on 22,000 acres (8,900 hectares), with 30,000 more acres (12,000 hectares) of them on the way in the next few years. [1] In 2016, 22 million pounds (10.0 kilotonnes) of pecans were produced and made $55 million in revenue. [1] Pecan trees can be found in Cochise, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, Maricopa, Mohave, Pima, Pinal, and Yavapai counties. [1]
A great history of cotton exists in Arizona, but its greatest development came later on with Egyptian cotton (Gossypium barbadense), later called Pima cotton, that is stronger than short-staple cotton and still as soft. Every year, the cotton industry earns the state $400-500 million and creates 3,000 new jobs.[ dubious – discuss ] Cotton is such a valuable and diverse plant that even its seed, stalk, and lint have uses, earning its place as one of Arizona's "5 C's." Cotton is grown in Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Pima, Pinal and Yuma counties. [1]
For more than 100 years, wheat has been a large commodity in Arizona. Grown by the Pima and Maricopa tribes during the Civil war, Native Americans would sell wheat to soldiers who later constructed granaries for it, resulting in its bigger industry today. Wheat produces 100 US bushels per acre (8,700 litres per hectare) and earns the state $200-350 million annually. Wheat is grown in Cochise, Graham, La Paz, Maricopa, Pima, Pinal and Yuma counties. [1] [8]
Arizona ranks second in the production of dates (Phoenix dactylifera), and the biggest date plantation in the globe is found in the state. Dates can be harvested in the months of September and October. Dates have a unique history in the state, as they are originally from the Middle East and North Africa, but were brought to North America by Spanish conquistadors and eventually made their way to Arizona. [10] [1]
Arizona's commercial egg industry began in Nell Hickman's home not too long ago in 1944, and has since grown to sell 360 million dozens of eggs in the state annually. Egg facilities today use automated machinery to reduce human interaction and hasten the process of packaging, allowing eggs to go from farm to plate in less than a day. [1]
In 1922, Shamrock Farms was opened, making agriculture a notable sector in the states economy. In 1960, the United Dairymen of Arizona was founded to provide a sustainable supply of dairy products and fresh milk for consumers at the best quality. With the help of modern technology, the UDA's Tempe facility runs 24/7, allowing 1 million US gallons (3.8 megalitres) of milk to be processed daily. The state has more than 205,000 cows for dairy, produces 4.2 billion pounds (1.9 megatonnes) of milk annually, and takes 2 days to get milk from the farm to a store. The dairy industry operates in Cochise, Gila, Greenlee, La Paz, Maricopa, Navajo, Pinal, Yavapai and Yuma counties. [1]
Out of 20,005 ranches and farms in Arizona, cattle is raised on more than 30% of them. In 2015, Arizona's cattle industry allowed ranchers to produce 1.4 billion beef meals and feed 8 million people, and in 2018, the state was able to produce 455.7 million pounds (206.7 kt) of red meat. The economic impact contributed by the sale of beef is worth around $521 million. Arizona's cattle industry operates year round and can be found in every county all over the state. [1]
Prehistoric indigenous cultures planted crops along the floodplains of the Gila River. [5] Among these, the Hohokam settlement of Snaketown was the first to use canals to irrigate. These canals diverted water from the Gila River a few miles upstream from Snaketown and brought it to the crops outside the settlement. The advent of pottery enabled these cultures to store food for longer periods of time, increasing agricultural efficiency. [6]
Arizona is blessed with many rivers, streams, and tributaries so irrigation is still a major practice today. Water rights are divided among different municipalities. Great care is taken to ensure that water is not wasted. This coordination is facilitated by the Agribusiness and Water Council of Arizona. [1] The majority of large scale growers today practice conservation agriculture, which includes reduced tillage, intensive tillage, cover cropping, manure application, and commercial fertilizer application. [11]
Because of its large deserts, population growth, and ongoing drought, concerns over energy and water use in Arizona increase every year. In response, heads from all over the private sector and government have taken action to sustain the state's water supply. This isn't the first time Arizona has had issues with water, as seen in the Arizona v. California Supreme Court case in 1952 that disputed water use from the Colorado River's lower basin. The use of energy and water go hand in hand as a large portion of the state's available energy is used for irrigation with Arizona being a desert state. [1] [2] [9]
Due to the arid climate, 70% of Arizona's water consumption is used for agriculture with some crops in using about 4.9 million acre-feet (6.0×109 cubic metres), but with the help of today's technology, farmers are able to use only what they need and water that isn't used goes back into rivers or storage. As an example on just how much water is needed, an average head of cabbage uses around 64 to 107 US gallons (240 to 410 L; 53 to 89 imp gal). [1] [2]
crop | Acre feet (m3) high | Acre feet (m3) low |
---|---|---|
Broccoli | 28,050 (34,600,000) | 18,563 (22,897,000) |
Cabbage | 11,900 (14,700,000) | 7,083 (8,737,000) |
Cantaloupes | 59,000 (73,000,000) | 29,500 (36,400,000) |
Cauliflower | 14,183 (17,494,000) | 9,583 (11,820,000) |
Chiles Peppers | 24,300 (30,000,000) | 9,819 (12,112,000) |
Dry Onions | 4,400 (5,400,000) | 3,107 (3,832,000) |
Head Lettuce | 3,863 (4,765,000) | 3,075 (3,793,000) |
Honeydews | 8,333 (10,279,000) | 4,638 (5,721,000) |
Leaf Lettuce | 30,471 (37,585,000) | 24,258 (29,922,000) |
Potato | 31,000 (38,000,000) | 12,555 (15,486,000) |
Romaine | 74,246 (91,581,000) | 59,108 (72,909,000) |
Spinach | 18,000 (22,000,000) | 7,500 (9,300,000) |
Watermelons | 26,667 (32,893,000) | 11,872 (14,644,000) |
Total | 332,413 (410,025,000) | 200,661 (247,512,000) |
The energy required to grow crops in Arizona can reach a maximum range of about 36 trillion British thermal units (11 million megawatt-hours). [2] To put into perspective, this amount of energy is the same as 290 million US gallons (1.1 gigalitres) of gasoline. [2] Taking cabbage as an example again, to grow 1 acre (0.40 hectares) of it requires about 79 US gallons (300 litres; 66 imperial gallons) of diesel fuel to operate farm machinery. [2]
Crop | Acres (ha) | Diesel gallons (L) |
---|---|---|
Broccoli | 9,900 (4,000) | 2,582,073 (9,774,210) |
Cabbage | 3,400 (1,400) | 594,174 (2,249,190) |
Cantaloupes | 17,700 (7,200) | 3,603,554 (13,640,940) |
Cauliflower | 4,600 (1,900) | 1,012,567 (3,832,980) |
Chile Peppers | 5,400 (2,200) | 585,251 (2,215,420) |
Dry Onions | 1,600 (650) | 301,605 (1,141,700) |
Head Lettuce | 900 (360) | 293,422 (1,110,720) |
Honeydews | 2,500 (1,000) | 397,349 (1,504,130) |
Leaf Lettuce | 7,100 (2,900) | 2,314,773 (8,762,370) |
Potato | 6,200 (2,500) | 2,304,763 (8,724,480) |
Romaine | 17,300 (7,000) | 5,500,610 (20,822,100) |
Spinach | 6,000 (2,400) | 748,221 (2,832,320) |
Watermelons | 6,400 (2,600) | 1,583,453 (5,994,020) |
Maricopa County is a county in the south-central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census the population was 4,420,568, or about 62% of the state's total, making it the fourth-most populous county in the United States and the most populous county in Arizona, and making Arizona one of the nation's most centralized states. The county seat is Phoenix, the state capital and fifth-most populous city in the United States.
Yuma County is a county in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, its population was 203,881. The county seat is Yuma.
Gila Bend, founded in 1872, is a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. The town is named for an approximately 90-degree bend in the Gila River, which is near the community's current location. As of the 2020 census, the population of the town was 1,892.
The Akimel O'odham, also called the Pima, are a group of Native Americans living in an area consisting of what is now central and southern Arizona, as well as northwestern Mexico in the states of Sonora and Chihuahua. The majority population of the two current bands of the Akimel O'odham in the United States are based in two reservations: the Keli Akimel Oʼodham on the Gila River Indian Community (GRIC) and the On'k Akimel O'odham on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (SRPMIC).
The Maricopa or Piipaash are a Native American tribe, who live in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community and Gila River Indian Community along with the Pima, a tribe with whom the Maricopa have long held a positive relationship. The Maricopa at the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community consist mostly of Xalychidom Piipaash members and are concentrated in Lehi. The Maricopa at the Gila River Indian Community are concentrated in Maricopa Colony. The Maricopa are a River Yuman group, formerly living along the banks of the Colorado River.
The Central Arizona Project (CAP) is a 336 mi (541 km) diversion canal in Arizona in the southern United States.
Laveen is a community in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, situated eight miles (13 km) southwest of Downtown Phoenix, between South Mountain and the confluence of the Gila and Salt rivers. Parts of Laveen constitute an unincorporated community in Maricopa County, while the remainder falls within the city limits of Phoenix, constituting the city's "Laveen Village" an urban village within the city of Phoenix. Laveen Village is split between District 7 and District 8, both notable as minority-majority districts for the city. Although Laveen has been home to "pastoral alfalfa, cotton, and dairy farms" since the 1880s, housing and commercial developments have been increasingly urbanizing the area.
This is a directory of properties and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Arizona. There are 1,491 listed sites in the state, and each of its fifteen counties has at least ten listings on the National Register. Forty-seven of the state's sites are further designated as National Historic Landmarks.
Arizona's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of Arizona. The district is in the north eastern part of the state and includes Apache, Coconino, Gila, Navajo, and Yavapai counties in their entirety and portions of Graham, Maricopa, Mohave, and Pinal counties. The largest city in the district is Flagstaff.
The Gila River Valley is a multi-sectioned valley of the Gila River, located primarily in Arizona. The Gila River forms in western New Mexico and flows west across southeastern, south-central, and southwestern Arizona; it changes directions as it progresses across the state, and defines specific areas and valleys. The central portion of the river flows through the southern Phoenix valley region, and the final sections in southwestern Arizona form smaller, irrigated valleys, such as Dome Valley, Mohawk Valley, and Hyder Valley.
The Qahatika were a Native American tribe of the Southwestern United States and lived in the vicinity of present-day Quijotoa, Arizona.
The 13th Arizona Territorial Legislative Assembly was a session of the Arizona Territorial Legislature which began on January 12, 1885, in Prescott, Arizona. The session's accomplishments included allocation of a variety of territorial institutions including a university, normal school, prison, and insane asylum. Nicknames bestowed to the session include the "bloody thirteenth" due to fights in the halls of government and nearby saloons, and the "thieving thirteenth" due to the very large appropriations approved by this legislature.
Throughout its history, agriculture in Paraguay has been the mainstay of the economy. This trend has continued today and in the late 1980s the agricultural sector generally accounted for 48 percent of the nation's employment, 23 percent of GDP, and 98 percent of export earnings. The sector comprised a strong food and cash crop base, a large livestock subsector including cattle ranching and beef production, and a vibrant timber industry.
The Yuma War was the name given to a series of United States military operations conducted in southern California and what is today southwestern Arizona from 1850 to 1853. The Quechan were the primary opponent of the United States Army, though engagements were fought between the Americans and other native groups in the region.
Agriculture in the Southwest United States is very important economically in that region.
The United States exports more cotton than any other country, though it ranks third in total production, behind China and India. Almost all of the cotton fiber growth and production occurs in the Southern United States and the Western United States, dominated by Texas, California, Arizona, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana. More than 99 percent of the cotton grown in the US is of the Upland variety, with the rest being American Pima. Cotton production is a $21 billion-per-year industry in the United States, employing over 125,000 people in total, as against growth of forty billion pounds a year from 77 million acres of land covering more than eighty countries. The final estimate of U.S. cotton production in 2012 was 17.31 million bales, with the corresponding figures for China and India being 35 million and 26.5 million bales, respectively. Cotton supports the global textile mills market and the global apparel manufacturing market that produces garments for wide use, which were valued at USD 748 billion and 786 billion, respectively, in 2016. Furthermore, cotton supports a USD 3 trillion global fashion industry, which includes clothes with unique designs from reputed brands, with global clothing exports valued at USD 1.3 trillion in 2016.
Pima Villages, sometimes mistakenly called the Pimos Villages in the 19th century, were the Akimel O’odham (Pima) and Pee-Posh (Maricopa) villages in what is now the Gila River Indian Community in Pinal County, Arizona. First, recorded by Spanish explorers in the late 17th century as living on the south side of the Gila River, they were included in the Viceroyalty of New Spain, then in Provincias of Sonora, Ostimuri y Sinaloa or New Navarre to 1823. Then from 1824 to 1830, they were part of the Estado de Occidente of Mexico and from September 1830 they were part of the state of Sonora. These were the Pima villages encountered by American fur trappers, traders, soldiers and travelers along the middle Gila River from 1830s into the later 19th century. The Mexican Cession following the Mexican American War left them part of Mexico. The 1853 Gadsden Purchase made their lands part of the United States, Territory of New Mexico. During the American Civil War, they became part of the Territory of Arizona.
Sacate is a populated place in the Middle Gila River Valley area, within Pinal County, Arizona, United States. Located 8 mi (13 km) north of Maricopa on the south side of the Gila River near Pima Butte, Sacate was an Pima village, a railroad station of the Southern Pacific Railroad, and a Catholic mission. It had originally been called Sacaton Station but the name was shortened to its current version in 1904.