The latest economic impact study underscores Yuma County, Arizona's role in agriculture, contributing $4.4 billion to Arizona's economy and $3.9 billion to Yuma County in 2022. Produce from Yuma achieved a retail value of $3.2 billion, placing the county third nationwide in sales of vegetables, melons, potatoes, and sweet potatoes.
Water usage efficiency in Yuma is highlighted, with less than one acre-foot of water used per $1,000 worth of vegetables sold. "There's this concern about how much water is being used and if it's being used efficiently," said George Frisvold, study leader and professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the U of A College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences. "In Yuma, they use 0.63 acre-feet to produce $1,000 worth of crops, compared to the rest of the Colorado Basin, where the average amount used is 1.44 acre-feet to produce a similar value."
Yuma's agricultural sector is 58 times more concentrated than the national average, surpassing specialized hubs like Detroit's vehicle manufacturing. "The study findings provide a very important resource for planning and decision-making," said José Quintero, an agricultural enterprise analyst. "We found that Yuma is to agriculture what Hollywood is to movies, and what Silicon Valley is to computers."
Researchers used a multiregional input-output model to analyze the county's agricultural impact, drawing from the USDA Census of Agriculture 2022. "The results were obtained using the most current and accurate data available," said Claudia V. Montanía, economic impact analyst. Yuma's agribusiness spans on-farm production, inputs, services, and post-harvest activities, reflecting its economic contribution. "Yuma is a dynamic place with sophisticated agricultural operations," said Dari Duval, economic impact analyst.
Source: UoA News