WSP10065

• File Number: 8149.100
• Description: Miscellaneous Small Projects and Project Studies - NRCS-Ft Lyon Canal Co Limsetone Graveyard Creeks
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 2
• Date: 3/1/1991
• Author: CSU
• Title: Colorados Farm and Food System - Farm and Agribusiness Contributions to the Colorado Economy
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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Figure 10: Agribusiness Employment. Importance by County Group, 1987.

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percent of total state employment,
and $26,9 billion in sales, these
estimates mask the importance of the
sector to specific regional economies
in the state, Roughly one-half of the
counties in the state are agribusiness
dependent or agribusiness important.
In these counties agriculture is the
critical determinant of economic well-
being, The data presented in this
report indicate that policies designed
to promote stability and further
development within agriculture are
important to the economic health of
these counties.
The division of the state into farm
and agribusiness dependent and
important counties suggests that the
economy is divided, Indeed, parts of
the state are higWy metropolitan or
heavily dependent upon recreation
and tourism. Other regions are
heavily dependent on agriculture,
However, the data also supports the
conclusion that agribusiness is an
important component of the eco-
nomic fabric of the Front Range, as
well as in the agribusiness dependent
and important counties.
In fact, the absolute economic
impact of agribusiness is greater in
the Front Range than it is in the rest
of the state, Table 3 shows that total
labor and proprietor income in the
Front range (including Weld county)
was mofe than $1 billion in 1987.
Total labor and proprietor income
from agribusiness in other counties
was only $793 million, Appendix
Table A-2 shows that agribusiness
employment was over 48,000 in the
Front Range, while total employment
in agribusiness in the rest of the state
was about 3 1,300, Figure 10 shows
these employment data,
While income and employment in
the farm and agribusiness dependent
and important counties indicates the
reliance of these counties on agribusi-
ness activity, the absolute impact in
the rest of the state is also significant
and represents a substantial intercon-
nection between agricultural and
urban interests.