Nevada Agriculture

Nevada agriculture is deceiving: most of it cannot be seen from the interstate highways. Farming and ranching provides a cornerstone to the economies of rural Nevada counties and improves the quality of life in the urban areas. Farming is concentrated in valleys with water available for irrigation, while vast rangelands and mountains provide grazing for livestock.

Range livestock production is predominate in Nevada with well over half of the farms producing cattle or sheep. The highest concentration of cattle is in the northern part of the state. Cow-calf operations are most common, and Elko county ranks second among all counties in the nation in number of beef cows. Northern Nevada is also home to the vast majority of the sheep.

Dairying is a growing industry in the state, as is the manufacture of dairy products. The dairies are concentrated relatively near the large market centers of Reno and Las Vegas. Horses are big business in Nevada, both for work and pleasure. Swine production is limited and most producers market locally. Alternative livestock enterprises, including emu and llama, are becoming more common.

Nevada's high desert climate is very well suited to the production of high quality alfalfa hay and alfalfa hay accounts for over half of the total value of crops produced in the state. Much of the alfalfa is marketed to dairies in California and a significant quantity is exported overseas.

A variety of other high value crops are gaining in importance to Nevada agriculture. Potatoes, onions, garlic, and alfalfa seed contribute greatly to the total value of production and grain production is rebounding following the end of the drought. Across Nevada lie valleys rich in agricultural resources: most unseen from the interstate highways.

Agricultural Commodities Grown in Nevada