Yuma County agriculture contributes $4.4 billion to Arizona economy

A recent study by the University of Arizona reveals that Yuma County's agriculture generated $4.4 billion in economic activity for Arizona in 2022, with $3.9 billion directly impacting the local economy. The region is noted for its exceptional water efficiency, utilizing less than one acre-foot of water to produce $1,000 worth of vegetables, significantly lower than the average in the Colorado River Basin. Yuma's produce reached a retail value of $3.2 billion, ranking the county third in the nation for sales of various crops. Researchers emphasize the area's unique climatic conditions and labor availability, which allow Yuma to dominate lettuce shipments for a substantial part of the year. Concerns over immigration policies and tariffs affecting farm labor and costs were also highlighted, though Yuma's workforce is expected to remain stable. The study underscores Yuma's agricultural sector as significantly more concentrated than other industries, drawing parallels with Detroit's car manufacturing and Hollywood's film industry.