Nebraska Department of Agriculture

A message from The Honorable Greg Ibach:

Nebraska is a world-class leader in producing a high-quality, abundant, and an affordable food supply, made possible by our state's farmers and ranchers.  The products that are raised here are diverse, and representative of the ingenuity of Nebraska producers to address the varied climate and geology found in this state.  Field crops, like corn and soybeans, fair particularly well in the rich, fertile farmlands of the Platte Valley, but can be found in most parts of the state.  Producers also raise grain sorghum, mostly in the south; potatoes in several areas that have pickets of sandy soil; and wheat, sugarbeets, and dry edible beans in the more arid Panhandle and southwest.  While some crops depend on timely rains for success, Nebraska is fortunate to have an abundance of water.  About 8 million acres of Nebraska's field crops benefit from irrigation, through the nearly 24,000 miles of streams and rivers, numerous reservoirs, and vast aquifers that underlie most of the state.

Our animal industry is also strong. Cattle can be found in all of Nebraska's 93 counties, and thousands of cows and calves spend their spring and summer grazing in the rolling, lush pastures of the north central Sandhills region. Swine, dairy cattle, and poultry also are in abundance and are generally raised in the more diversified, eastern part of the state.
 

Nebraska agriculture doesn't stop with these traditional, Plains agriculture products. Looking for ways to diversify and receive more return on their investments, Nebraska producers are venturing into specialty markets. There's grapes, buffalo, elk, orchard fruits, ostrich, tomatoes, and fish, just to name a few items.

The importance of agriculture in Nebraska continues past the farm gate. The transportation, financing, warehousing, and processing of products all create additional investment in the state's economy. Taking all aspects into consideration, the economic contributions of agriculture make it the number one industry in this state. One in four Nebraskans depends on agriculture for employment, and it's the hard work and devotion of these folks that has made Nebraska a leader in national agriculture rankings.

It's these facts that drive us here at the Nebraska Department of Agriculture; we want to keep the state's top industry viable for future generations and uphold our reputation as a national leader in feeding the nation and world.

http://www.agr.ne.gov/