Texas has one of the largest and most diverse agricultural sectors in the United States. Ranching is especially central to the state’s identity and economy, but crop farming is also extensive and regionally varied.
## Major agricultural products - **Cattle and calves:** Texas is widely recognized as the leading cattle-producing state. - **Cotton:** Especially important in the High Plains and other drier farming regions. - **Hay and forage:** Produced across many rural areas. - **Sorghum, corn, and wheat:** Major field crops in several regions. - **Poultry and eggs:** Particularly important in East Texas. - **Dairy:** Significant in parts of Central and North Texas. - **Rice:** Historically important in parts of the Gulf Coast region. - **Citrus and vegetables:** Notable in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. - **Pecans:** An important specialty crop.
## Regional patterns - **Panhandle and High Plains:** Cotton, feed crops, cattle, and large-scale irrigated agriculture. - **East Texas:** Poultry, timber, cattle, and mixed farming. - **Central Texas:** Cattle, hay, grains, and specialty products. - **South Texas and Rio Grande Valley:** Vegetables, citrus, sugar-related historical production, and ranching. - **Gulf Coast:** Rice, cattle, and coastal fisheries.
## Other primary sectors - **Forestry:** East Texas supports a significant timber and wood-products industry. - **Fisheries:** The Gulf Coast supports commercial and recreational fishing, including shrimp and finfish. - **Organic and local food production:** Growing but unevenly distributed, especially around larger cities with strong farmers market networks.
Water access, drought, aquifer depletion, export markets, labor supply, and weather volatility are major long-term factors affecting Texas agriculture.
