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Yuma County Farm Notes


2002 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 and ample surface water, results in a thriving agricultural business. There are 238,900 acres of farm land harvested in Yuma County. The Colorado River is the source of irrigation water for the Yuma Mesa and surrounding valleys. Yuma County diverts 1.2 million acre feet of Colorado River water per year, accounting for over one-third of the 2.8 million acre feet of Colorado River water allotted for Arizona. 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 with an average monthly temperature of 73.8°F. Average yearly rainfall in Yuma County is 3.76 inches.

AGRICULTURE: The value of crops, fruits and vegetables produced on Yuma County farms and ranches was $1,224,296,000 in 2002. The value of all agriculture commodities produced in Yuma was over $1.3 billion in 2002.

Principal field crops produced are grain, hay and cotton. Vegetable crops continue to be increasingly important and generated over $1.07 billion in 2002, the highest returns for any commodity group. Lettuce was the principal vegetable crop with supplies available from mid November into April, and grossing over 89% of the vegetable income. Citrus fruit grossed almost $45.7 million in 2002, with lemons as the major crop. Seed crops are important with more than 4,500 acres grown, grossing over $12.6 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. Figures on gross income from livestock indicate over 98,000 cattle on feed and 22,000 sheep and lambs, ranking third in Arizona, valued at over $79.1 million.

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 Barry Bequette, Extension Director using Arizona Crop & Livestock Reporting Service 2002 Arizona Agricultural Statistics and other sources.

CROPS

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

Gross

FIELD Cotton Lint SS 17,900 1397 lbs. 0.489 lb. $683.13 $ 12,228,080
  Cotton Lint LS 2,100 1120 lbs. 0.828 lb. 927.36 1,947,456
  Alfalfa Hay 32,000 8.6 tons 98.2 ton 844.52 27,024,640
  Other Hay 18,000 3.9 tons 93.50 ton 364.65 6,563,700
  Bermuda Seed 5,800 400 lbs. 1.50 lb. 600.00 3,480,000
  Durum Wheat 44,300 5820 lbs. 133.30 ton 387.90 17,184,102
  Other Wheat 2,100 6340 lbs. 130.00 ton 412.10 865,410
  Barley   - - - -
  Corn for Grain 1,900 10,880 lbs. 110.70 ton 602.20 1,144,195
  Misc. Seed Veg. 4,500 - - 2,800.00 12,600,000
  Total 131,000       83,037,583

VEGETABLES Lettuce, Head 50,500 360 38.7 13,932.00 703,566,000
  Lettuce, Leaf 5,800 315 61.8 19,467.00 112,908,600
  Romaine 12,500 275 43.4 11,935.00 149,187,500
  Cauliflower 4,300 175 45.9 8,032.50 34,539,750
  Broccoli 7,600 122 45.7 5,575.40 42,373,040
  Cantaloups 3,800 300 13.2 3,960.00 15,048,000
  Potatoes 300 270 13.4 3,618.00 1,085,400
  Spinach 450 225 30.7 6,907.50 3,108,375
  Watermelon 1,400 405 8.38 3,361.50 4,706,100
  Honey Dews 300 310 16.4 5,084.00 1,525,200
  Misc. Veg's.* 1,750         6,488,740
  Total 88,700         1,074,536,705

TREE & VINE  Grapes 900 3.50 ton 947.00 ton 3,314.50 2,983,122
  Lemons 13,300 384 Ctn 7.31 Ctn 2,807.04 37,333,632
  Grapefruit 600 308 Ctn 3.37 Ctn 1,037.96 622,776
  Valencia 1,100 94 Ctn 1.71 Ctn 160.74 176,814
  Navel & Sweet 300 440 Ctn 6.37 Ctn 2,802.80 840,840
  Tangerines 3,200 265 Ctn 7.92 Ctn 2,098.80 6,716,160
  TOTAL 194,000         $ 48,673,344
  Total Crops 238,900   $ 1,206,247,632

LIVESTOCK Total includes Fat Cattle, Sheep & Lambs, and Misc. Livestock - Est. based on AZ totals of inventory & gross income     $79,196,000

Total Agricultural Gross Income 2002 Yuma County $ 1,285,443,632

 


Full Disclaimers

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 and Life Sciences, The University of Arizona.

The University of Arizona is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation in its programs and activities.

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Information provided by:
Barry Bequette, plantdoc@ag.arizona.edu Extension Agent, Urban Horticulture
Barry Tickes, btickes@ag.arizona.edu Extension Agent, Yuma County
Mohammed Zerkoune, zerkoune@ag.arizona.edu Extension Agent, Agriculture
University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.
Material written November 2003.


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