KJZZ is a service of Rio Salado College,
and Maricopa Community Colleges

Copyright © 2025 KJZZ/Rio Salado College/MCCCD
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

USDA: Arizona Cotton Production Up, Durum Wheat Down

cotton
(Photo by AgirLife Today - Flickr)
Cotton crops.

Arizona farmers are now in the fields harvesting crops, and U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasted data reflects that change in production from last year to now.

The numbers are in and barley, durum wheat and alfalfa hay production is down in Arizona this year, compared to last.

Barley is down 2 percent, while alfalfa hay is down 6 percent.

Farmers produced almost 4 million fewer bushels of Durum wheat this year, a decline of 27 percent.

But cotton production has boomed in 2016, with the total bales of hay forecasted at 400,000. That’s 30 percent more than last year.

The bump in cotton bolls comes after a drop off in production from 2014 to 2015. Farmers are turning back to the crop after higher prices.

Tags
Casey Kuhn was a senior field correspondent at KJZZ from 2015 to 2019.