Farm Census

Mesa County, Colorado

Farms, crops and livestock in the 2022 Census of Agriculture

2,353 farms268,323 acres in farms$90.8 million in farm sales

No other county in Colorado with a published figure has more orchard land than Mesa County.

Its largest product group with a published figure, fruit and nuts, makes up 33.1% of farm sales, against 0.5% across Colorado.

Fruit and nuts: 33.1%Fruit and nuts33.1%Cattle and calves: 22.2%Cattle and calves22.2%Withheld groups: 13.6%Withheld groups13.6%Hay and other crops: 10.5%Hay and other crops10.5%Nursery and greenhouse: 7.0%Nursery and greenhouse7.0%Vegetables and melons: 4.5%4.5%Grains and oilseeds: 4.4%4.4%Sheep and goats: 3.7%Sheep and goats3.7%Other animals: 1.0%1.0%Hogs and pigs: 0.2%Fruit and nuts: 33.1%Fruit and nuts33.1%Cattle and calves: 22.2%22.2%Withheld groups: 13.6%13.6%Hay and other crops: 10.5%10.5%Nursery and greenhouse: 7.0%7.0%Vegetables and melons: 4.5%4.5%Grains and oilseeds: 4.4%4.4%Sheep and goats: 3.7%3.7%Other animals: 1.0%Hogs and pigs: 0.2%
Farm sales by product group, 2022, sized by value. Withheld to protect individual farms: milk, poultry and eggs, horses and mules and aquaculture products.
Sales by product group
Product groupSalesRank in state
Fruit, tree nuts and berries$30.0 million1st of 21
Cattle and calves$20.1 million17th of 50
Hay and other crops$9.5 million13th of 44
Nursery, greenhouse and floriculture crops$6.3 million7th of 29
Vegetables, melons and potatoes$4.1 million12th of 27
Grains, oilseeds, dry beans and dry peas$4.0 million24th of 31
Sheep, goats, wool, mohair and goat milk$3.3 million3rd of 46
Other animals and animal products$903,0003rd of 27
Hogs and pigs$200,0004th of 21

What the fields held

Mesa County harvested 41,063 acres of cropland in 2022, 22nd of 54 counties in Colorado. Hay and haylage covered acreage equal to 78% of that, orchard land 7%.

CropAcresShare of US
Hay and haylage31,8610.06%
Orchard land2,957under 0.1%
of which grapes6130.06%
of which apples92under 0.1%
Corn for silage2,044under 0.1%
Wheat1,639under 0.1%
Corn for grain1,003under 0.1%
Vegetables848under 0.1%
of which potatoes26under 0.1%
Berries36under 0.1%
Oats30under 0.1%

Withheld to protect individual farms: grain sorghum, dry edible beans and almonds.

How much of the county is farmland

Share of the county land in farms12.6%

Mesa County ranks 49th of 59 counties in Colorado on this measure.

  • 57,663 acres of cropland, 21% of farmland
  • 190,408 acres of pastureland, 71% of farmland
  • 31,803 acres of woodland, 12% of farmland
  • 54,238 acres irrigated

Farm sizes

The typical farm in Mesa County is smaller than the national median of 72 acres, at 10 acres. The average, pulled up by the largest operations, is 114 acres, 52nd-largest of 54 in Colorado. The most common size class is 1–9 acres, with 46.0% of farms. Farms of 1,000 acres or more are 1.9% of the total.

1–946%10–4936%50–17910%180–4994%500–9992%1,000–1,9991%2,000+1%
Mesa County US · farms by size

Barns, pens and pastures

AnimalsHeadShare of US
Sheep and lambs17,2510.34%
Horses and ponies3,6460.15%
Goats3,0520.12%
Beef cows14,416under 0.1%
Cattle and calves27,155under 0.1%
Hogs and pigs423under 0.1%
Milk cows33under 0.1%
Turkeys200under 0.1%
Broilers sold in 2022858under 0.1%

Withheld: laying hens.

Who farms here

Decisions on Mesa County's 2,353 farms are made by 4,357 producers. Their average age is 57.0, 1.3 years below the Colorado average. Women are 43.7% of them.

Under 357%35–4418%45–5415%55–6424%65–7423%75+12%
Mesa County US · producers by age

Five years earlier

Measure2017Change to 2022
Farms2,465−4.5%
Land in farms, acres342,534−21.7%
Average farm size, acres139−18.0%
Farm products sold (current dollars)$94.2 million−3.6%
Sheep and lambs, head18,634−7.4%
Horses and ponies, head4,666−21.9%
Goats, head4,896−37.7%
Hay and haylage, acres36,164−11.9%

Nearest rivals

Counties with a similar sales mix

Mesa County accounts for 1.0% of farm sales in Colorado and 6.5% of the farms in Colorado. Rank Colorado counties for sheep and lambs.

Source: USDA NASS Census of Agriculture. How to read these pages.