Organic and Conventional farming are more alike than different. They’re both methods of farming. They both have well-established markets. They both use approved pesticides and they both feed up.

Go to any Arizona grocery story and you’ll be surrounded by local food. You can find it in the dairy, meat and egg case. You can find it in the produce aisle. In fact, 53% of the beef in the meat case comes from Arizona ranches like mine.

Farming, Fishing, Forestry, and Mining are every economy’s primary sectors. Without them, other industries cannot exist. Arizona agriculture is a $23.3 billion industry. We need farming and ranching and why I’m proud to be An Arizona rancher.

Nearly all American farms are family owned. Some are large with multiple generations. Some are incorporated to protect the family business. So, even our large corporate farms are most likely family farms. Our Arizona ranch, Carlink, is a partnership and a corporation.

Arizona farmers need water to grow the quality food you eat. Today, we’re doing it with 30% less water and growing, even more, thanks to technology improvements in how we water the crops that grow the food you enjoy.

Photo by Yuma farmer Jonathan Dinsmore.