One of Arizona’s five “C’s” had a very good 2016. But a related industry did not.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported all cattle and calves in the state totaled 970,000 for 2016, up 8 percent from the year before. Cattle is one of Arizona’s five economic C’s, and, according to the Jan. 1 survey, the inventory of both beef and dairy cows grew last year.
But sheep, lambs and goats are also raised in Arizona for agriculture, and they did not fare so well, down 7 percent in the last twelve months.
Wool production in Arizona during 2016 fell about 2 percent and the price of Arizona wool. That’s down 14 percent from last year.
