Malheur County agriculture not only has a farm gate value of about $250 million per year, but is fundamental to the county economy generating about 1 billion dollars due to sales, processing, packing, and services. . . Many by-products of agricultural processing are recycled into the local agricultural sector.
Malheur County agriculture is fascinating because of diversity: vegetable crops, cereals, meat, milk, forages, mushrooms, seed crops and mint are all grown. Malheur County grows more acres of onions, sugar beets, and alfalfa hay than any other county in Oregon. Onion production generated $26,7 million in 2007 and was the leading row crop. Income in 2007 was down due to high yields and low prices. Total agricultural sales in 2007 were $261 million. Other crops included wheat, potatoes, dry field beans, sweet corn, field corn, and seed crops (red clover, alfalfa, cereals, vegetables and flowers).
* Irrigation systems Three major water projects. Owyhee, Warmsprings, and Vale, provide essential water for much of the 256,000 cultivated acres in the north end of the county, known as the Western Treasure Valley. This area has little annual precipitation, much of which is in the form of winter snow. . .
Most of the irrigation in the county is by gravity flow from surface ditches or gated pipe. . . Part of the county's irrigation is done with sprinklers, and more recently with buried drip irrigation.
