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<br />GENERAL ECONOMY <br /> <br />Historically, agriculture has been the primary factor in the <br />economy of the Big Blue River Basin and represented directly <br />33 percent of the 1960 employment. <br /> <br />As a result, the general economic conditions of the <br />area have fluctuated with the agricultural economy. 'Dry <br />land farming has been, the dominant type of agriculture. <br />However, extensive private irrigation development has <br />taken place in the upper parts 'of the basin in recent <br />years. This irrigation has significantly stabilized <br />the economy of thi~ area. Wheat, corn and livestock' <br />have been the primary s(,mrces of farm income, with <br />livestock producing an incre,asingly la~ger share ,of <br />total farm income in recent. years. <br /> <br />Manufacturing is somewhat limited in the basin and <br />is confined primarily to agriculturally related ' <br />industries or the production of items for local use. The <br />urban communities serve principally as trade and service <br />centers for the surrounding agricultural areas. <br /> <br />Transportation facilities are generally adequate <br />as most towns are served by one or more of the five main <br />or branch line railroads, and over 1,000 iniles of hard~surfaced <br />highways serve the area. Seventy miles of the Interstate <br />Highway System (1-80) traverse the northcentral part of <br />the basin., The rural areas are served bya relatively <br />good farm-to-market network of stat~, county, and local <br />roads. Commercial bus and truck transportation serves many <br />communities within the basin. Hastings, York, and Beatrice <br />have municipal airports and commercial air transportation, <br />serves several points in 'and adjacent to the basin. The <br />state and federal highway system is shown:,ip Figure 6. <br /> <br />The usual public utilities are aVallable in most <br />communities although public water, gas and sewage facilities <br />are not available in some of the smaller towns. Telephone <br />and electric power services are available to nearly.' <br />all farms.." , <br /> <br />The basin is located within easy sh~pping distariC~ of <br />three central livestock mark:ets-Omaha; St., Joseph and', <br />Kansas City. Local auction', ririgs and. buying stations are <br />also located throughout the basin;' Most towns have either <br />privately owned or farmer cooperative grain elevator <br />facilities. Many of the cooperatives also provide <br />production items for their far'merillembers at' a <br />reduced cost. <br /> <br />18 <br /> <br /> <br />