b'E C O N O M YCassia County recognizes and encourages agriculture as its primary economic base. Thus, the county understands that prime agricultural land is a valuable, nonrenewable natural resource and, as such, promotes the preservation of this agricultural ground for agricultural purposes. Furthermore, Cassia County hopes to encourage development of a strong economic base with further economic development, job opportunities, and the provision of needed industrial-commercial services. The County will encourage clean and well-planned commercial and industrial development within the County to remain in or around existing cities. Such industrial-commercial development should contribute optimum income ow to the local economy, conform to environmental quality standards and to public facility standards, and not use prime agricultural land unless absolutely required.6AgricultureTotal and Per Farm Overview, 2017 and change since 20122017 % change since 2012Number of farms 585 -12Land in farms (acres) 643,346 +5Average size of farm (acres) 1,100 +20Percent of county land in farms 39.0%FIGURE 6. Cassia County Total Farm Overview 72017 Market Value of Agricultural Products SoldCounties Sales ($1,000) Rank in State Producing ItemTotal926,720 1 44Crops255,319 4 44Grains, oilseeds, dry beans, dry peas77,242 3 42Tobacco- - -Cotton and cottonseed- - -Vegetables, melons, potatoes, sweet potatoes104,651 3 41Fruits, tree nuts, berries(D) 29 37Nursery, greenhouse, \x1boriculture, sod(D) 19 43Cultivated Christmas trees, short rotation woody crops(D) 10 14Other crops and hay72,369 4 44Livestock, poultry, and products671,401 2 44Poultry and eggs(D) 1 43Cattle and calves401,873 1 44Milk from cows234,085 4 35Hogs and pigs(D) 1 40Sheep, goats, wool, mohair, milk2,072 5 43Horses, ponies, mules, burros, donkeys130 26 44Aquaculture- - 22Other animals and animal products(D) 7 42(D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (Z) Less than half of the unit shown. (-) Represents zero.FIGURE 7. Cassia County Agricultural Market Values318 I D A H O I N F R A S T R U C T U R E G U I D E B O O K'