Prepared by Jill Combs
for the Agriculture in the Classroom Conference
July 2002
Nevada has 3000 Farms & Ranches
Economic impact of Agriculture is close to 1$ billion
Nevada has 3000 Farms & Ranches
Economic impact of Agriculture is close to 1$ billion
Two-thirds of Nevada’s population is in Clark County.
Production in Nevada Limited
• Arid climate
• Limited water resources
• Limited supply of land
• Short growing season
• Distance from major markets
CASH RECEIPTS FROM AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES
Cat
tle
& C
alve
s
Dai
ry P
rod
uct
s
Sh
eep
& L
amb
s
Oth
er L
ives
tock
All
Hay
Po
tato
es
Fo
od
Gra
ins
Veg
etab
les
Oth
er C
rop
s
$0
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
Thousands
Federal GovernmentControls 79.8% of Land
B urea u of La nd Ma na gem ent
Forest Service
Fish a nd W ild life
Pa rk Service
Milita ry
Federa l G overnm entAdm inisters 56 of the 70 m illion a cres
Range cattle are the predominant agricultural commodity in Nevada.
2/3 of Nevada farms raise cattle 520,000 head of cattle in Nevada Nevada ranks 37th in the nation
Branding enables ranchers to identify their cattle and helps
prevent rustling.
Most ranches in Nevada are
cow-calf operations.
Dairy cows produce 30 gallons of milk for each person in the state.
Holstein Cows
Jersey Cows
Sheep are an alternative to cattle for converting range
forage to consumer products.
The state’s equine population is estimated at 70,000 head.
On the range,
horses are a very
valuable form of travel.
Ranching in Elko County is a balance between tradition and
economics.
Alternative livestock in Nevada includes ostrich, emu…
…and llama
R.C. FARMS, INC.
R.C. Farms, Inc. is Nevada’s largest pig farm with 5,000 head of swine.
• Family owned and operated since 1963
• 300 head of cattle
• Goats, sheep, chickens, turkeys, and eggs
R.C. FARMS, INC.Waste Management, Inc.
Recycles 30 tons of food scraps daily
Recycles aluminum, glass, paper, tin, cardboard, and plastic
Recycles yellow grease
Employs 90 people
UTILIZATION OF LAND IN FARMS AND RANCHES
13%82%
5%
RANGELAND CROPLAND OTHER
Where water is available, crops are grown.
NEVADACROP PRODUCTION
Hay Alfalfa Grass & Meadow Timothy
Grain Potatoes Garlic & Onions Carrots, cantaloupe, tomatoes, watermelon Fruit & nut orchards Sod Greenhouse
Hay is the number one crop.
High quality alfalfa hay is grown for the dairy industry
and foreign market.
Cattle are supplemented with hay during the winter months.
25,000 acres of grain were grown in Nevada last year.
Humboldt County ranks 19th in U.S. potato production.
Garlic production has steadily increased.
White, yellow and red onions grow in northern Nevada.
Mint planting operation in
Humboldt Co.
Sod farms have become more common.
The greenhouse industry has also been increasing.
NEVADA AGRICULTURE
I. Production AgricultureA. State Statistics
1. Nevada Agriculture ranks 47th in U.S. in Production Agriculture
2. 3000 Farms and Ranches in Nevada3. Economic Impact close to $1 billion
B. Production is Limited1. Arid Climate2. Water Limited3. Suitable Land Limited4. Short Growing Season5. Distant from major markets
II. Commodities
A. Livestock Production
1. Beef Cattle
2. Dairy Cattle
3. Sheep
4. Other
B. Crop Production
1. Hay
2. Grain
3. Potatoes
4. Onions & Garlic
5. Mint
6. Other