Laserfiche WebLink
<br />valley. Occasional climatic set-backs are experienced, but <br /> <br /> <br />the diversified croppD1g s~~tem made possible by the adequate <br /> <br /> <br />supply of irrig~ti0n water has precluded a cumplete crop <br /> <br /> <br />loss. Moreover, the combination of dependo.ble water supplies <br /> <br /> <br />and fertile soi:'s !lrovides the possibility for adapting <br /> <br /> <br />future farm production to a variety of crops. This diversity <br /> <br /> <br />looms highly important as changing food consumption patterns <br /> <br /> <br />appear in the economy. <br /> <br /> <br />At present, enaugh dry beans are produced here each <br /> <br /> <br />year to meet the needs of 14 million persons--the combined <br /> <br /> <br />population of New York City, Chicago, and Philadelphia. <br /> <br /> <br />Sugar production in a normal year will supply 2,400,000 <br /> <br /> <br />people; potato production, 4,500,000 people. A freight train <br /> <br /> <br />8,800 cars long would be requi!'ed to haul the annual production <br /> <br /> <br />of these three commodities. More than 150,000 head of cattle, <br /> <br /> <br />335,000 head of sheep, and 65,000 hogs are marketed through <br /> <br /> <br />the livestock auction yards and packing houses in the valley. <br /> <br />Incom~s are increased and stabHi.zed-- <br /> <br /> <br />In this valley, agriculture is the only important <br /> <br /> <br />basic income-producing activity. Practically all trade and <br /> <br /> <br />commerce revolves around agriculture, rising as it rises, <br /> <br /> <br />feeling the effect of unfavorable weather and price drops, <br /> <br /> <br />and multiplying these good or bad effects throughout the chain <br /> <br /> <br />of economic activity. Stability is important therefore be- <br /> <br /> <br />cause so many people ar~ dependent upon ;[ prosperwB agricultural <br /> <br /> <br />base. <br /> <br />9 <br />