b'E C O N O M YEconomic development issues are highly important in Gooding County, impacting population and development patterns, transportation and public facility needs, and overall quality of life. The number of jobs in Gooding County grew steadily between 2004 and 2005. The farming industry increased over that period. All remaining industry sectors grew over that time period, and particularly strong growth was experienced in the services industries. Agriculture (Dairies) and Agricultural services showed the highest percentage growth in the 1990s. Labor Force and Employment The improvement in the unemployment rate and civilian labor force has been remarkable in Gooding County over the last 10 years. The peak year for unemployment was 1996 when the rate reached 4.3 percent. The unemployment rate uctuated moderately until it dropped to 2.0 percent in 2007, signicantly below the state and national average. This low unemployment rate can be traced to the dairy and cheese processing industries, which provide year-round employment.Due to the relatively good pay at dairies and the cheese factories, Gooding County has had strong growth in per capita income, an increase of 51 percent, from $20,502 in 1997 to $31,069 in 2006. Gooding County ranks 5th out of Idahos 44 counties in per capita income. Gooding County has the second highest per capita income in south central Idaho after Blaine County.AgricultureTotal and Per Farm Overview, 2017 and change since 20122017 % change since 2012Number of farms 538 -10Land in farms (acres) 188,353 -21Average size of farm (acres) 350 -13Percent of county land in farms 40.1%FIGURE 6. Gooding County Total Farm Overview 6 2017 Market Value of Agricultural Products SoldCounties Sales ($1,000) Rank in State Producing ItemTotal783,388 2 44Crops72,860 14 44Grains, oilseeds, dry beans, dry peas45,886 11 42Tobacco- - -Cotton and cottonseed- - -Vegetables, melons, potatoes, sweet potatoes13,059 16 41Fruits, tree nuts, berries(D) 23 37Nursery, greenhouse, \x1boriculture, sod(D) 39 43Cultivated Christmas trees, short rotation woody crops- - 14Other crops and hay13,886 18 44Livestock, poultry, and products710,529 1 44GOODING County 409'