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Economic Development
Group of Kittitas County
PO Box 598
221 East 4th Avenue
Ellensburg, WA 98926

P: (509) 962-7244
F: (509) 962-7141

edgkc@kittitasedc.org

Agriculture

Agricultural Production

The agriculture of Kittitas County is largely affected by climate, water supply, and drainage conditions rather than to soil types. Most agricultural crops are produced with supplemental irrigation supplied from three mountain reservoirs. Refilling of the reservoirs is dependent upon the timely melt of the mountain snow pack.

Agriculture, at present, consists largely of the production of grass hay, cereal grain, and livestock. The early agriculture of Kittitas County was centered on the raising of livestock. Irrigated pastures and extensive rangeland provides the basis for a thriving livestock industry. Kittitas County has the fourth largest beef cow inventory in Washington State. The sheep industry fills a unique niche in the county as sheep are used to clean up crop aftermath and for consuming poorer quality hay causing the county to rank third in the state for sheep inventory.

Kittitas County is the largest producer of grass hay, primarily timothy, in Washington as well as oats for grain. Kittitas County timothy hay is known worldwide. Approximately 70 percent of the annual production of timothy hay is exported, principally to Japan. Today, timothy hay is the single largest cash crop in Kittitas County, grown commercially by an estimated 200-250 farmers on between 25,000 to 30,000 acres of land. The timothy hay industry in the county is estimated to have an annual value of more than $30 million. Although limited by a frost hazard, an apple and pear industry is emerging along the northward-slopping hills on the south side of the Kittitas Valley.

The 1997 Census of Agriculture showed a 50 percent decrease from 355,360 acres in 1992 to 177,815 acres in 1997 in land used for farming in Kittitas County. The average size of farms decreased 50 percent from 469 acres in 1992 to 235 acres in 1997. However, the market value of agricultural products sold increased 13 percent to $79,634,000 in 1997. Crop sales accounted for 60 percent of the market value while livestock sales accounted for 40 percent of the market value.

Information provided by Washington Agricultural Statistics Service

Source: Oregon Economic & Community Development Department