b'E C O N O M YThe economy of Valley County has been dependent upon the government, timber, mining, and agriculture. With major segments of the economy being seasonal employers, high unemployment has been a part of the traditional economic pattern. The single most important fact about the economy of Valley County is that the economic pattern is in a state of change. Limited supplies of private timber and restrictive government land-use policies have resulted in a dramatic decline of the timber industry. Declines in timber harvest creates a hardship on the county. These forest funds play an important role in funding county schools and roads. Mining has also been an important industry to the county, having good and bad years throughout county history. Exploratory drilling has indicated large amounts of gold. If permitted, there will be large impacts to housing, workforce, and infrastructure such as power, roads, and recreational trails/uses. The size and number of farms maintained for agricultural purposes has decreased and croplands are being purchased and developed to satisfy the demands for recreation housing. Recreation has become more inuential to the local economy. Retail and services are now the top employment category, with government second, and construction third.8AgricultureTotal and Per Farm Overview, 2017 and change since 20122017 % change since 2012Number of farms 188 +61Land in farms (acres) 50,959 -17Average size of farm (acres) 271 -48Percent of county land in farms 2.1%FIGURE 6. Valley County Total Farm Overview 102017 Market Value of Agricultural Products SoldCounties Sales ($1,000) Rank in State Producing ItemTotal10,541 40 44Crops922 43 44Grains, oilseeds, dry beans, dry peas(D) 39 42Tobacco- - -Cotton and cottonseed- - -Vegetables, melons, potatoes, sweet potatoes32 33 41Fruits, tree nuts, berries- - 37Nursery, greenhouse, \x1boriculture, sod(D) 27 43Cultivated Christmas trees, short rotation woody crops- - 14Other crops and hay530 42 44Livestock, poultry, and products9,619 30 44Poultry and eggs1 40 43Cattle and calves(D) 31 44Milk from cows(D) 34 35VALLEY County 623'