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More Than Just Phoenix: The Agrarian Maricopa County

When many folks think of Maricopa County their mind goes to Phoenix. Phoenix plays a massive role in Maricopa County as it is a beast of its own, but there is so much more to the county. To give a better idea of the scale of Maricopa County here are a few fun facts:


1.) Maricopa County is larger than 4 U.S. states


2.) Stretches 132 miles from west to east (It is 111 miles from Tucson to Phoenix)


3.) Is a leader in agricultural production in the state of Arizona


Maricopa's has a rich history in terms of agriculture. The landscape of Maricopa County includes more than urban streets, and the "forgotten" areas have shaped Arizona's economy for many years.  The county has long been a leading producer of crops, livestock, dairy, and more. Its agricultural resiliency began many years ago with the innovation of its water systems, which transformed the desert into productive farmland. The importance of Maricopa County agriculture is not limited to Arizona; the entire nation is directly impacted by the food, fiber, and agricultural outputs produced here.


History of Maricopa Agriculture:

The Hohokam people were said to have appeared in the valley in about 1 CE and continued living there for another 1500 years. They built over 500 miles of canal systems throughout the Salt River Valley. This ingenuity allowed for them to grow corn, beans, squash, cotton, and agave in an extremely dry area. The network of canals was crucial in getting the water supply across many fields, especially the ways the canals were built. They widened the canal in areas of abundant water and narrowed in areas there was less (Valdez, 2018). This allowed for a fast water flow and a decrease of sediments and secured their legacy as engineering geniuses. Their irrigation network is the reason Maricopa County, and many other counties throughout central Arizona, became habitable while providing food and fiber nationwide.


The early settlers hit the jackpot when they moved to Maricopa County, and agricultural oasis. They realized the old canal routes could be restored, modified, and expanded to help with their new communities. Through these findings canal companies were formed, irrigation was used throughout the valley, and farmers began planting wheat, barley, citrus, alfalfa, and small grains (Mohave, 2017). Ranching grew quickly as well. Maricopa County became one of the most successful and necessary agricultural areas in the southwest.


Hohokam Canals
Hohokam Canals

As time progressed, the Salt River Project began and completed. In 1911 the Roosevelt Dam was finished, along with other reservoirs, which provided a strong water supply for Maricopa County (Howard, 2025). A reliable water supply allowed for thousands of new acres to be farmed and caused the expansion of crop types into cotton, citrus, alfalfa, and sugar beets. By the 1920s, Maricopa County was known across the globe for its cotton and high quality-citrus orchards. Agriculture continued to become stronger with new ways and research findings to mitigate water scarcity, increase efficiency of resources, and heighten yields.


Large Maricopa Population Relates to Agriculture:

Whether we like it or not the population size of Maricopa County has increased drastically. More people meant less farmland and more houses being built. This of course posed frustrations, but it also increased the local communities demand for food. It drove diversity so there would be less food markets to compete over. More people also decreased the amount of water going to the farmers and ranchers. This encouraged continued water efficiency practices and innovation to become even more beneficial. Population growth has been both a hinderance and an opportunity to local agriculture.


Economic Significance

Based on the 2022 economic census, it is proven that agriculture is necessity in the economics of Arizona. Maricopa County alone reported more than $1.5 billion in total agricultural product sales, making it one of the state’s top-producing counties (USDA, 2022). The state in total produced $5.20 billion in agricultural products in 2022 (USDA, 2022). Thus, meaning Maricopa County made up about 29% of agricultural product sales within the state. Not only does the agriculture within the county feed and clothe countless people, but the sales also generated from these products continually boost the economy (DeWalt, 2024). Year after year, jobs are produced from agriculture, mouths are fed, and the overall financial system is stronger because of it.

The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension states, "Maricopa County is a major agricultural producer ranking in the top 1% of counties in the U.S. for sales of milk, other crops and hay, vegetables and melons".

Contrary to what some may believe, agriculture still plays a major role in Maricopa County today. The county continues to produce cotton, alfalfa, durum wheat, cattle, dairy, vegetables, and nursery crops, especially because of the Hohokam people and their incredible canal systems. Thanks to Maricopa County, agricultural outputs from Arizona are in high demand nationwide and globally. With the support from agriculturalists and those living in urban areas, Maricopa County will continue to provide for the 200 people who move to our great County each day.


References:



DeWalt, D. (2024, March 20). Arizona results from the 2022 census of Agriculture. azfb.org. https://www.azfb.org/Article/Arizona-Results-from-the-2022-Census-of-Agriculture


Howard, J. (n.d.). Hohokam legacy: Desert Canals. WaterHistory.org. https://www.waterhistory.org/histories/hohokam2/


Maricopa County Quick Facts. Maricopa County Quick Facts | Maricopa County, AZ. (n.d.). https://www.maricopa.gov/3598/County-Quick-Facts


Valdez, T. (2018, April 17). Hohokam canals - ingenious engineering and lasting impact | salt river stories. Salt River Stories. https://saltriverstories.org/items/show/336




 
 
 

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