Colorado has a diverse agricultural industry including commodity crops like wheat, corn, and potatoes as well as orchard crops, ranching, and horticulture. The horticulture industry is vertically integrated with major retailers and includes both wholesale and single site producers. Colorado also has a growing marijuana industry estimated to be worth $121.4 million annually and employ between 7,500 to 10,000 workers. The number of farms in Colorado has fluctuated over time from a high of 62,000 in 1930 to a low of 26,500 in 1990, rebounding to over 36,000 farms in 2011.

1. Colorado
A Great Place to Grow

10. 1930

24. Industry Profile
• Commodities
– Top Products - Wheat, Corn, Potato,
Soybeans, Sugar Beet,
• Orchard Crops and Melons
– Peaches, Apple, Pear, Plum, Cantaloupe,
Watermelon,
• Ranching –
• Horticulture – 11% of all agriculture sales
• Horticulture Industry
– Vertically Integrated – Safeway, City Market,
Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s
– Wholesale – Dutch Heritage, Welby Gardens,
Tagawa Gardens
– Single Site – Echter’s, Youngs,Novacek, Non-
profit – Revision International, Growhaus,
• Marijuana Industry
– Est. Annual Demand: 121.4 metric tons
– Value:
– Employment: 7,500-10,000:
Year Number of Farms
1880 2,000
1900 16,000
1930 62,000
1950 47,000
1970 30,500
1990 26,500
2001 30,900
2011 36,100

25. References
• http://milehighconnects.org/equity-atlas.html
• http://pubs.usgs.gov/imap/i-2760/i-2760pam.pdf
• http://lib.colostate.edu/research/agbib/search.ht
ml
• http://pubs.usgs.gov/imap/i-2760/i-
2760_sh2.pdf
• http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Co
lorado/Publications/Annual_Statistical_Bulletin/b
ulletin2011.pdf