Nebraska maintains 95 percent of its total land area with farms and ranches. Nebraska farm products contribute approximately $9.5 billion in cash receipts to the U.S. economy annually. Agriculture is Nebraska's primary source of wealth and its dominant industry. Estimates reveal one-half of Nebraska's work force depends on agriculture and related industries for employment. Nebraska ranks fifth among the states in agricultural exports.

Buffalo County ranked in the top eight counties in Nebraska in the production of all alfalfa hay and com for grain as well as the number of beef cows and calf crop during the last five years.

Working for Nebraska's largest agriculture industry, the Nebraska Beef Council

represents the cattle producers in Nebraska to strengthen demand for beef in the global marketplace.

Sand and gravel, nonmetallic minerals, are available in commercial quantities although metallic minerals are not found in the Kearney area. Alfalfa, another product available in the community, is shipped in powder and pellet form to other areas for use in various types of commercial feed.

Nebraskans enjoy four distinct seasons-spring, summer, fall and winter. Annual mean temperatures vary from 53 degrees F to 45 degrees F. Maximum daily temperatures of more than 105 degrees F have occurred in the four summer months. Subzero temperatures occur about 15 days a year.