Here Are The Most Popular Crops Grown In Wyoming

You know that the gas & oil industry and tourism are huge for the state of Wyoming, but agriculture is a $2 billion per year industry too. Surely you've seen the signs all over the state welcoming you to Wyoming beef country, right?

The USDA says that Wyoming's cattle industry dates back to the mid-to-late 1800's. After the Civil War ended, Cheyenne became a major trading center for cattle and has been strong ever since.

Cattle aren't the only agriculture-related product that is raised or grown here in the Cowboy State. Depending on where you are in the state, there are quite a few other crops and livestock that contribute to Wyoming's strong agriculture industry.

Here's a look at the impact that Wyoming has on agriculture.

HORSES

You can't go far in Wyoming without seeing a horse. It's estimated that there are about 99,000 horses in Wyoming and the horse industry is valued at about $286 Million

SHEEP

Wyoming ranks second in the U.S. for raising sheep. The wool has been known to get some of the highest prices nearly every year.

HOGS

Surprisingly to many, Wyoming is a big hog-raising state and produces nearly $54.4 million in the pork industry.

BISON

Bison are another strong piece of the livestock side of Wyoming's ag industry. There are around 9,500 bison raised here, landing us as the #7 bison-raising state.

HAY

Pastures across the state produce some of the highest-quality hay, that you'll find and is shipped all over the world.

Ok, so you probably knew about those parts of Wyoming's ag, but here are some others that you may not have.

Sugarbeets - Wyoming is one of the Top 10 sugarbeet-producing states, bringing in about $48 million per year.

Barley - Maybe one of the reasons Wyoming's craft beer production is so strong, but Wyoming is the #5 barley-producing U.S. state. It's a $40 million per year crop.

Corn - This may shock you, because you don't see corn fields as much in Wyoming as you would in the Midwest, but corn is one of Wyoming's biggest crops. Wyoming corn is used mostly for making grain and the other part is silage, for feeding animals. In total, corn production pulls in close to $30 million every year.

Dry Beans - Coming in at #10 in the nation, the Big Horn Basin is mostly responsible for Wyoming's $21 million bean crop

Wheat - Not one of the biggest crops in the state, but Wyoming Wheat brings in around $18 Million every year.

Here is another cool product that Wyoming is producing in the world of ag...FFA members. 

Wyoming is home to 58 chapters and over 3600 members of the Future Farmers of America organization. Very cool that Wyoming kids aren't just the future of Wyoming's agriculture, but the future of America's agriculture.