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<br />C1) <br />C\l <br />C'!j <br /> <br />CHAPTER V <br /> <br />AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY <br /> <br />Livestock <br /> <br />The forest reserves and public land near the project provide excellent <br />summer range for beef cattle and sheep. The cattle and some sheep are 'Win- <br />tered on the home ranch, but most of the sheep are grazed in winter on the <br />desert lands of western Colorado and eastern Utah. Forest Service grazing <br />permits are held by 16 project ranchers who each graze an average of 85 <br />head of cattle. Bureau of Land Management pennits are held by five project <br />ranchers for the equivalent of 603 cow months of grazing. Sheep and lamb <br />production is of relatively minor importance to the average farmer of the <br />area. Most of the sheep grazing permits are held by a few large operators. <br /> <br />Production of dairy cattle is a significant part of the livestock <br />enterprises. In 1946, 80 percent of the farmers on Harvey Mesa reported <br />dairy cows on their farms. Herds are small, each averaging three to four <br />cows. Butterfat produced is sold in the form of sour cream in Denver and <br />Grand Junction. <br /> <br />Hog production is a sideline to the dairy indust ry. Chickens are kept <br />only for family needs. <br /> <br />Farms and Farmers <br /> <br />Ninety-eight farm units are operating in the project area, inclu:Ung <br />eighty-three that are owner operated and fifteen that are tenant operated. <br />The average farm unit he. s been decreasing in size and is now too small for <br />economic operation. The average size of Harvey Mesa farms is 45 acres. <br />Dry Elk Valley farms average 134 acres but incl u:ie much nonirrigated land. <br />Six ownerships contain more than 160 acres. Only one of these ownerships <br />has more than 160 acres of land presently irrigated. <br /> <br />Finances <br /> <br />Tax levies for farms in the project area averaged 31.02 mills from <br />1939 to 1944. These inclu:ied State, county, and school district levies. <br /> <br />Land values have remained fairly static in the project area. This <br />has been due to the uncertain water supply and the farmers' reluctance to <br />sell at present prices while anticipating improvemEnt of irrigation facili- <br />ties. Irrigated land under Harvey Gap Reservoir is valued at $100 to $125 <br />an acre at average 1939-1944 prices. Dry Elk Valley land is valued at $50 <br />to $60 an irrigated acre. <br /> <br />The Farmers Irrigation Company, which Ow:lS and operates the Grass <br />Valley Canal, has no indebtedness. The average annual irrigation opera- <br />tion and maintenance cost was $1.55 per acre from 1935 to 1944. <br /> <br />37 <br />